Greatest Cuban Boxers of all time

[El Kabong]

Awesome post holmcall and after much searching I found your old Cavalcade of Sports theme music....I hope it's right, never mind the penguins in it though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOcq0V2kC0

[Taeth]

I say Guillermo Rigondeaux is the best.

[holmcall]

Awesome post holmcall and after much searching I found your old Cavalcade of Sports theme music....I hope it's right, never mind the penguins in it though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKOcq0V2kC0

Thanks, man. That brought tears to my eyes and I'm not kidding!

[holmcall]

Ceferino Garcia is commonly referred to as the inventor of the bolo punch. Though a Filipino boxer named Macario Flores was alos reported to be using the punch in 1924.

Either way, Garcia and The Kid were the best proponents of it. Sugar Ray Leonard also used it at times.

[KananKrus]

Ceferino Garcia is commonly referred to as the inventor of the bolo punch. Though a Filipino boxer named Macario Flores was alos reported to be using the punch in 1924.

Either way, Garcia and The Kid were the best proponents of it. Sugar Ray Leonard also used it at times.

Nice to add Ceferino Garcia, to the genesis of the bolo punch. I'm sure you'd get a wink and a thumbs up, from the guy in spirit!


As for the Greatest Cuban fighter, personally for me it would be Teofilo Stevenson. The guy had a lethal right cross, or overhand right. It is as terminal as a "lethal injection".

I will credit Stevenson's punches, especially the overhand right, as one with the most "delayed reactionary" KO's results ever IMHO.

I did not see him turn pro tho'. I think at that time for him to do so, he would have to defect and leave Cuba, which did not fit his plans for his perceived greatness!

[holmcall]

Stevenson was born in Jamaica if I am not correct. Makes for an interesting discussion, but I'm not going there.

[JazMerkin]

Stevenson was born in Jamaica if I am not correct. Makes for an interesting discussion, but I'm not going there.

Looked it up & yes he was Cuban, although his parents were immigrants from other Caribbean countries.

Taeth, I was considering putting Rigondeaux in, simply because he is one of those I have actually seen a lot of in my lifetime, but decided against it because I knew I would get stick for the amateurs I had as it is, but for me it was close between him & Ramos.

On the discussion about Cubans staying in Cuba, I have to say as much as I would have loved to see some of these guys go pro, I have to say I admire the patriotism of some of their fighters. I think particularly of Savon's comments after Don King's $10m offer to him. Anyway I'll leave that topic alone before it gets turned into some debate about Cuba's politics

[Taeth]

Someone used Mario Kindelan, even though he was a great amateur, maybe the second best ever, he still wasn't as good as Rigondeaux. I don't think you should get any problems putting Rigondeaux up there, I still think based on his record, based on the fact he almost undefeated even against Cuban fighters that he should be one of the best boxers to have ever laced up, its easy to see after watching him fight. He's impossibly fluid, a Roy JOnes Jr type counter puncher, who can do it all.

[holmcall]

Stevenson was born in Jamaica if I am not correct. Makes for an interesting discussion, but I'm not going there.

hHHMM. I am not correct!

[X]

The Cubans are a great and proud boxing nation ........ just because they didn't go pro doesn't mean that the fantastic 'amateurs' they had would not have made it there. Great fighters adapt to different rules (and anyway, comparing someone like Kid Chocolate to Mantequilla Napoles, what with all the changes in glover etc is not far off comparing pro's and ams in terms of how different the sport was)

I thought Stevenson was awesome, and I think he could have competed with Ali at the time.

[Taeth]

The fighter I mentioned Guillermo Rigondeaux, would make Rafael Marquez, Vazquez, and JML look silly in the ring. It's a shame he was caught defecting, and the government has threatened his family to such an extent he would never risk leaving now. They didn't care that much about Gamboa, Solis, Batherlemey(or whatever his name), or even Erislandy, but They really did about Rigondeaux, because he was on his way to 4 olympic golds had he not tried to defect, he basically never lost, he was of the same athletic quality as Gamboa, but fought more like a Pernell Whitaker with lots of movement. I guarantee he would not have the troubles Gamboa has had in the pros this guy has unbelievable defensive skills, much better timing, and hits harder.