Boxing Greats Honored in Monagas, Venezuela – World Boxing Association

The organization Creemos Alianza Ciudadana, promoted by the Andrés Bello Catholic University (UCAB), together with Congresswoman María Gabriela Hernández, paid tribute to some of the greatest figures in regional boxing history. The lawmaker joined the initiative to celebrate the values of discipline, dedication, and perseverance embodied by athletes who helped shape Venezuela’s sporting legacy.

The event also received institutional support from the World Boxing Association (WBA). WBA President Gilberto Jesús Mendoza sent a heartfelt message congratulating and honoring the distinguished guests, highlighting Monagas as a historic breeding ground for champions and a pillar of Venezuelan sports.

Among the central figures recognized during the ceremony was Pedro Cova Garrido, widely regarded as the cornerstone of boxing in Monagas. Throughout his remarkable career, he developed more than 30 national champions and served as a national team coach at four Olympic Games. Under his guidance emerged fighters such as José Ángel Castro, a light heavyweight who compiled an impressive 80-5 record and went toe-to-toe with legendary Cuban heavyweight Teófilo Stevenson, and Ismael Arcia, the 1972 Central American and Caribbean champion who amassed 120 victories before dedicating decades to training young athletes free of charge. The event also celebrated Nelson Trujillo, the trailblazer who became the first boxer from Monagas to represent Venezuela at the Olympic Games, competing in Moscow in 1980.

“I know many of those being honored today. I have great affection for Nelson Trujillo, and tremendous respect and admiration for Professor Pedro Cova Garrido, a great trainer and boxer who developed countless fighters and played a key role in the history behind many medals,” said WBA President Gilberto Jesús Mendoza.

The list of honorees also included Wascar Guillermo Rivas, a Bolivarian Games champion who captured gold in the high altitude of La Paz in 1977; Domingo José Idrogo, who recorded 61 amateur victories and shared the ring with legends such as Rafael Oronó and Bernardo Piñango; and Argenis “El Catire” Lara, a member of Venezuela’s national team in 1980 who later devoted years to restoring the iconic gymnasium at the former Estadio 23 de Enero. Also recognized were Ciris Bellorín, a welterweight standout who collected 105 victories and represented Venezuela on demanding tours across Europe and Asia, and Jesús Bastardo León, who earned a gold medal at the 1977 Bolivarian Games.