Tribute to Pambelé in Venezuela – World Boxing Association

An emotional tribute will be paid on Thursday March 07 and Friday March 08 in Venezuela to the Colombian boxing legend, Antonio Cervantes, “Kid Pambelé”, thanks to the initiative of the Universidad Bicentenaria de Aragua and the Colombian Embassy in the country. 

“Pambelé”, icon of Latin American boxing, returns to the country where his boxing career flourished, to be bestowed on Friday, May 8, the honorary position of the Universidad Bicentenaria de Aragua as “Honorary Professor of Sports”. This academic act will take place at the Forum of the UBA, in Maracay, Venezuela, at 2:00 pm. 

“The man who taught Colombia how to win”, whose first world championship was 50 years ago, will recall his time in Venezuela, a country that gave him shelter and offered him the conditions to develop his boxing potential until he reached sporting glory. 

The Colombian Embassy in Venezuela has promoted this initiative of the Bicentennial University of Aragua, as another gesture of recognition to the greatness of Pambelé, and also as a sign of brotherhood for the common history of the two countries. It is no coincidence that “Kid Pambelé”, the first Colombian world boxing champion, is also considered a “champion of two countries”, given the involvement of Venezuela in his triumphs. 

It will be a day of reunions and remembrances for the hero of San Basilio de Palenque, in the department of Bolivar in Colombia; the Cartagena native who in the rings and gyms of Caracas, Turmero and Maracay laid the foundations of a legendary career that took him from the initial stumbles in Cartagena to the honeys of success in the main boxing stages of the world. His legendary champion’s image occupies a place today in the World Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York, and he is an evergreen figure among the great champions of the World Boxing Association.

After many years of absence, Pambelé will return to Caracas on March 6th. He will be the guest of honor of the Venezuelan Ambassador to Colombia, Mr. Milton Rengifo, with whom he will share a meeting with the press in Caracas on Thursday morning, March 7.