By Joel Garcia on July 29, 2024
The first reaction was as expected. He believed he was the winner, no matter how close the vote would be. That’s why he put his hand on his face, covered his eyes and there was astonishment. But our boxer Julio Cesar La Cruz quickly let out a breath, sighed in pain and hugged Loren Berto Alfonso, who only wore the red T-shirt, because he is from Pinar del Rio, Cuban, one of those emigrants of the sport who does not deny his homeland and had his rival as his idol since he was a child.
The fight between the twelve ropes had been very even. The first round was voted 4-1 for La Cruz, although it was basically a round of study and few punches. Then Berto Alfonso would be encouraged to follow his tactical plan: neutralize Julio’s right and hit counterattack. Thus he evened the actions and everything came down to the last three minutes in the ring.
The gong sounded and more than a clash of jabs, hooks or swing between the classic blue and red shirts, the challenge of the two-time Olympic champion was to be faithful to his usual style (low guard, enter and hit, feints and feints) against a fighter who knew him perfectly well because he was also from the national team, as well as his coach, Pedro Roque, another of those trainers of the Cuban boxing school.
And Berto Alfonso gave, scored the best punches. Without that great advantage or recital of punches he scored the best punches and felt victorious when the final 180 seconds expired. The referee called them to the center of the ring and both handled the tension convinced that their hands would be raised with the official announcer’s announcement. “Split vote 3-2, in the Red corner, Loren Berto,” was the official announcer’s sentence.
Everything that followed, far from signifying the fall of Julio Cesar La Cruz’s empire (double Olympic champion and five-time world titleholder) confirmed that Cuba had won. Few countries in the world can afford the luxury and honor of facing in the Olympic Games two sons of the same land in a sport in which we are the undisputed Olympic and universal kings, no matter how much it hurts the Europeans.
Julio’s sporting shame prevented him from facing the journalists, although he will soon have to do it with the ethics that have made him a captain and an example of sporting ethics. This time it could not be, maybe it was his last chance and that’s why it hurts more, but he should feel proud of having fallen to someone who did not talk about him in his first statements, but about “my idol Julio”, and who dedicated everything he does from now on “to the people of Cuba”, including that medal he hopes to achieve in the 92 kilograms division.
The final lesson of this Sunday also turned to the future. Our relationship with the emigrated athletes must be more transparent and less entrenched in feelings every time. Most of them are Cubans and trained in our national teams. Like Loren Berto Alfonso, representing Azerbaijan, there are about twenty in this Parisian edition of the Olympics and they will rarely profess a hint of hatred to the land where their parents, their friends and their roots are.
I am left with the final embrace between Julio Cesar and Loren Berto. I felt pain too, but I was pleased that Cuba was not leaving that division. It is a very difficult Olympic Games for everyone. And whoever is Azeri, Spanish, Romanian or American by passport, but Cuban in heart and soul should always fill us with admiration.
It is true, it is news. Julio Cesar lost. “The Shadow” could not conquer for the third time the sun, the gold, the Olympus. But Cuba won. Let them all say it and shout it. That is life.
Source: Cubadebate, translation Resumen Latinoamericano – English