By Elisinio Castillo

Cuban amateur star Julio Cesar la Cruz, 24-years-old and a two-time world amateur champion, was hospitalized after taking a bullet outside of a recreation center in the eastern province of Camagüey, his hometown, in the early hours of Saturday. The wound is located near the top of his left hip. He will soon be moved to a hospital in Havana to continue his recovery. No details were available about the incident.

La Cruz, a light heavyweight, was selected as one of the most outstanding athletes of 2013 in Cuba. The boxer is part of the Cuban team that is currently the "Group A" leader in the current standings. The team boasts a leading bout record of 18 wins and 2 defeats.

La Cruz won the gold medal at in the light heavyweight division at the 2011 World Amateur Boxing Championships in Baku, where he beat number 1 seeded Egor Mekhontsev from Russia (a 2012 Olympic gold medal winner). La Cruz also won gold medal at 2011 Pan American Games in which Cuba's national team topped the medal table with 8 golds and 1 silver. At the 2012 Olympics he was upset by Falcão Florentino.