Doha: Boxing powerhouse Cuba picked by two more gold medals to complete their domination at the AIBA World Boxing Championships which concluded here yesterday.
Julio La Cruz and Lazaro Alvarez did not disappoint Cuban fans who had turned up in numbers to support their countrymen’s quest for gold at the Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena winning their bouts and to take Cubans gold medals tally to four.
On Wednesday, Cuba had won two gold medals.
Yesterday, in the flyweight category, Yosbany Veitia of Cuba looked to add to the gold medal streak for his country as he stepped into the ring to face the impressive Elvin Mamishzada of Azerbaijan.
But it was not be as Mamishzada ran away with the gold medal after winning on unanimous decision.
Speaking after the final, the Azerbaijani flyweight boxer said: “To be world champion feels great. I am very proud of myself, and especially for managing to perform to the best of my ability on the night. I got the result that I needed, and now it’s time to celebrate.”
The lightweight final was another Cuba versus Azerbaijan bout, with the exciting, in-form reigning world champion Alvarez taking on the winner of the 2007 AIBA World Championships, Albert Selimov.
The two boxers have both already qualified for the Olympic Games next year in Rio, but for Alvarez it was all about chasing his third consecutive world title.
Unlike his countryman in the bout before, Alvarez passed the test with ease. The Cuban champion dominated from start to finish, and already in the second round it was clear that there could be only one winner. With 8 seconds remaining of the round, the referee stopped the match and declared a technical knockout victory for Alvarez who could raise his arm in affection for the Cuban supporters cheering him on. And with that win, Cuba’s third gold was secured. The third Cuban reigning World Champion La Cruz saw action in the light heavyweight against Joseph Ward of Ireland.
The Cuban champion showed his superiority by winning 3:0 and got to leave Doha with yet another gold medal added to his already impressive collection. This was Cuba’s fourth and final gold in the Championships.
The much anticipated welterweight final was up next with Kazakhstan’s reigning world champion Daniyar Yeleussinov coming up against huge crowd favourite Mohammed Rabii of Morocco, the only Arab left in the final stage and recent recipient of the WSB Boxer of the Year Award at the AIBA Annual Awards in Doha.
Despite the overwhelming favorite Yeleussinov starting brightly, the Moroccan quickly gained momentum and seemed to be lifted by the roaring support in the stands as the bout progressed. In the end, there was no contest as Rabii claimed his first-ever World Championship gold medal by winning on unanimous decision.
After running around the ring with the Moroccan flag around his shoulders, an overjoyed Rabii said:
“This is amazing for me and my country! My supporters are incredible, and they definitely helped me reach my goal in the ring. I’m a world champion, and I’m so, so, so proud! I love my country, and I love my supporters – this is for them!”
The last bout of the evening and the closing battle of the Doha 2015 AIBA Boxing World Championships saw French super heavyweight Tony Yoka up against Kazakhstan’s Ivan Dychko. Both boxers have looked extremely good coming through the stages of the competition with relative ease, but here it was all about who could come up with the goods for that all-important last performance. The young Frenchman fought for his life in the ring, and kept Dychko on arm’s length throughout the bout. It was evident that this gold medal was coming back to Paris, and after being declared world champion on unanimous decision, Yoka could let all his emotions out and waved the French flag around the ring with the crowd chanting his name. This was as good as it gets, and a fine example how the boxing sport has been embraced on these shores throughout these World Championships.
Alos watching the action fromthe stands were the world-famous heavyweight legends Klitschko brothers Wladimir and Vitaly.
The Peninsula
