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How Castro's doctrine denied
Mario millions
By David Smith, Evening
Standard. UK, 13 May 2005.
Although Amir Khan is brimming with confidence
ahead of his clash with Mario Kindelan in
Bolton tomorrow, Britain's new boxing sensation
is facing mission impossible. The 18-year-old
has fuelled pre-fight hype by insisting
he now possesses the strength and skill
to beat his Olympic conqueror at the third
time of asking.
Yet a study of the history of Cuban boxing
confirms there can be only one result when
a comparative novice goes up against a 33-year-old
veteran generally acknowledged to be the
best pound-for-pound exponent of the amateur
discipline.
It is no fluke that since 1968, Cuba has
won 89 Olympic boxing medals - 32 gold,
including two for Kindelan, 30 silver and
27 bronze.
Shannon Briggs, once a top American amateur
who later lost to Britain's Lennox Lewis
in a world heavyweight title challenge,
was 19 and giving away five years' experience
when he fought Cuban Felix Savon, then still
a legend in the making, at the 1991 Pan-Am
Games.
Briggs recalled: "I'll give Savon
his credit, he won. But I think he took
advantage of the system. He was a man fighting
kids.
"That's the case with a lot of these
Cuban fighters. They're 28, 29, 30 fighting
kids 19, 20, 21. That's a big advantage
physically and mentally."
Kindelan comes to his final fight - 34
is the maximum age for amateurs and he turns
that age in August - having lost just 21
of his 359 bouts. He remains unbeaten since
2001.
So if he is that good, why did he never
turn pro? After all, Sugar Ray Leonard and
Evander Holyfield both offered him $1million
(£540,000) to turn professional. "I
thanked them, but money cannot buy what
I have," he said.
So what does he have? In Cuba one of the
greatest lightweights ever lives in a humble
house with no running hot water. There are
none of the trappings enjoyed by the successful
professionals because, by dint of a national
decree signed by President Fidel Castro
in 1962, professional sports are banned
in Cuba.
"Professional sports enrich the few
at the expense of the many," said Castro,
Cuba's communist leader. But some have found
it impossible to accept Castro's doctrine.
Tonight Cuban-born Elicier Castillo seeks
his 28th win in 35 professional fights when
he takes on Puerto Rican heavyweight Alex
Gonzalez in Florida. Aged 17, Castillo bucked
the system and fled to Panama.
Then there is Joel Casamayor, who defected
before the Atlanta Games of 1996. He went
on to enjoy the kind of wealth shunned by
Kindelan by winning the world superfeatherweight
championship.
Savon, winner of three Olympic gold medals
and six world amateur championships, was
once offered $10m (£5.4m) by Don King
to join the exodus. His answer was succinct:
"What do I need $10m for when I have
11 million Cubans behind me?"
Cuba's other great heavyweight, Teofilo
Stevenson, was of like mind when refusing
American cash. He was so highly regarded
in the Seventies that Muhammad Ali conceded
the result would probably have been a draw
had they fought.
So is this loyalty to those Castro doctrines
or a result of indoctrination? Consider
Kindelan's reply to questions about why
he never fought for pay. "If I left
my country I would be betraying my homeland
and my family," he said.
The father of the Cuban boxing system is
professor Alcides Sagarra. Steeped in communism,
Sagarra claimed professionalism was "the
worst exploitation of man by man".
Yet there is a certain irony in the fact
that many Cuban youngsters are attracted
to boxing, and the other national sport
of baseball, because success brings material
reward. Maybe better times are just around
the corner. Professional boxing is ready
to exploit any loosening of the ties that
bind their sport to the amateurs in Cuba.
But for now, however, the country's boxing
production line continues to roll out amateur
champions.
Sarbelio Fuentes, Sagarra's protege and
successor as national coach, insists Cuban
boxers can beat the five golds won in Athens
when the next Olympic Games are hosted by
China in 2008.
"We are working to fulfil the expectations
of our people," he said. "We are
aiming for all 13 medals."
The Cubans will keep coming. Khan has been
warned.
©2005 Associated New
Media
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