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Cuba wins Boxing Nations Cup
BAKU, October 21 (AIN).—
Olympic champion Odlanier Solís proved himself once
again as the great fighter that he is by beating (RSC)
Islam Timurziyev in the third round, bringing Cuba’s
final score against Russia to 6-5, thus winning the
Boxing Nations Cup.
The heavyweight star went
into the ring with the double goal of winning the
match and taking revenge on the man who beat him
last year, and after a slow start, imposed his full
strength to the point where doctors were forced to
intervene in response to the ineptitude of the
referee overseeing the fight.
The official applied a
second count to Timurziyev, but decided not to take
into account his poor state and it was medical staff
who stopped the fight, after which Solís dedicated
his success to Fidel and the Cuban people.
The day started well for the
island, with a performance by Olympic super-flyweight
Yan Bartelemí, who beat Vadim Idigeshov 20-14, but
moments later flyweight Andry Laffita was unable to
repeat his 2005 victory against world bronze
medalist Georgi Balaksin, who won 28-18.
Twice Olympic bantamweight
champion Guillermo Rigondeaux packed a tremendous
left hand punch against European champion Ali Aliyev,
calling another RSC in the third round, whilst
featherweight Yuriolkis Gamboa, the number one in
Athens, forced the withdrawal of Albert Salimov in
their bout.
Another two victories were
notched up thanks to world lightweight champion
Yodenis Ugás and welterweight Inocente Fiss appeared
to be punching thin air as they triumphed 25-4 and
22-7 against Maksim Ignatyev and Alexandr Avanov,
respectively.
The competition stood at 5-1
for the Caribbean team, and perhaps anxiety stood in
the way for welterweight Noelvis Veitá and
middleweight Emilio Correa, beaten 20-15 and 29-9 at
the hands of the very experienced Andrey Balanov,
another regional champion, and reigning world
champion Matbey Korobov, respectively.
With the competition
standing at 5-3, Yunier Dorticós, who almost fell
twice at the start of his bout with Artur Beterbiyev,
finished 2-5 on points, but suffered an injury,
bringing the match to an end on RSC.
Super-heavyweight Osmay
Acosta was also unable seal his joy, losing 15-24
against Rahim Chakhkiyev, thus leaving Solís to
enter the ring and silence the enthusiasm of the
Russians, who were enlivened by the compatriots who
had made the journey to enjoy a victory that was to
be eventually enjoyed by the Cubans. (Roberto
Ramírez, Special for AIN)
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