Guantánamo.- Two-time Olympic champion and bronze medalist from Guantanamo, Arlen López Cardona, took an important step toward winning medals at the IBA World Boxing Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, after defeating Iraqi Ridha Talib Jabbar on Monday.
The victory came about because his opponent failed to make weight, allowing Arlen to easily secure his place on the medal podium.
From Guantanamo, we wish Arlen and the rest of the Cuban boxers the best of luck in this world championship, helping Cuban boxing to end the year on a high note. Arlen (80 kg) will face Nursilton Salimov of Tajikistan in the quarterfinals.
The two-time Olympic champion extends Cuba’s perfect record against Iraq’s Ridha Talib Jabbar, who did not appear for his bout.
Arlen participates at this World Championship with confidence and experience, ready to impose his technical boxing style in a highly demanding competition.
In the 92 kg category, Julio César La Cruz, from Camagüey, a two-time Olympic champion and five-time world champion, made a successful debut this Monday with a 5-0 victory over Senegal’s Karamba Kebe.
And as if that weren’t enough, on the same day in the +92 kg category, Santiago native Fernando Arzola, in the most anticipated bout, defeated the Paris 2024 Olympic silver medalist, Spaniard Ayoub Ghadfa Driss.
A high-level duel that could solidify Arzola’s position as a podium contender in the super heavyweight division.
This Tuesday, another Guantánamo native, Giovis Salfrán Mejia, will return to the ring in the 51 kg category against Spaniard Salvador Molina, bronze medalist at the 2023 Tashkent World Championships and European Champion in 2022.
