Cuba has already won four medals at the Tokyo 2020 Boxing Championships | Other sports | Sports

Having already claimed four medals, Cuba on Sunday maintained their dominant streak in boxing Tokyo 2020 in a day marred only by a loss to the United States, which broke the record for an unbeaten Caribbean team at the tournament.

Super Heavyweight (+91 kg) Daenerys Peru was the first Cuban fighter to fall off the table after being defeated by American Richard Torres Jr. in the quarter-finals.

“It’s something that has been in our plan for a long time,” Torres Jr. said of being the first to defeat a Cuban boxer in the 14 matches Al Jazira have played so far.

“It’s about following the instructions of the coaches and my dad. They gave me the necessary preparations to be in this position,” said the American, whose father was a member of the national boxing team in 1980.

Cuba reached the Tokyo Games with a record 37 gold medals (a total of 73 medals) in Olympic boxing, a figure that was only surpassed by 50 (114) for the United States, which had been losing ground for some time and amassed three copies. without climbing to the top of the platform.

Apart from the fall of Peru, Cuba continued to advance towards the podiums in Tokyo with victories for Lazaro Alvarez in the featherweight (52-57kg), Ronel Iglesias in the welterweight (63-69kg) and Arlene Lopez in the heavy middleweight (75-81kg). ).

Alvarez was responsible for securing Cuba’s fourth boxing medal at these games by qualifying for the semi-finals of his division.

This victory is particularly significant as Alvarez takes home his third Olympic medal in three different categories.

Cuban already had two bronzes in the bantamweight division at London 2012 and in the spotlight at Rio 2016.

Alvarez defeated Tai Chachai Disha Putdi by a separate decision (3-2) in the quarter-finals.

Of the four medals Cuba has at the moment, at least two will be gold or silver thanks to the rankings of Roniel Iglesias and Arlene Lopez this Sunday to the finals of their respective categories.

Iglesias, 32, defeated Russia’s Andrei Zamkovoi in the semi-finals by unanimous decision (5-0) who demonstrated his sharp punches and Cuban speeds that are causing chaos at the Kokogikan Arena.

The welterweight will play the final on Tuesday against Briton Pat McCormack, who did not have to fight in the semi-finals due to the withdrawal of Ireland’s Aidan Walsh.

In turn, Rio 2016 gold medalist Arlene Lopez advanced to the light heavyweight final after defeating Cuban-born Lorraine Alfonso Dominguez and the competition for Azerbaijan.

The victory came in a sibling battle, with Dominguez making the first attack, Lopez going second, and the third fight going towards the Cuban team member in the 5-0 final.

Lopez will attempt to become a double Olympic champion in Wednesday’s final against Britain’s Benjamin Whitaker.

Cuba, who won three golds and three bronzes at Rio 2016, had a minimum of goals in Tokyo to clinch four medals, including two gold, Cuba coach Rolando Acipal told AFP before the tournament kicked off. (Dr)