Who is the greatest Cuban boxer of all time?

Fidel Castro

Maybe he's not a name like Gavilán or Napoles, but someone have to say it: José Legrá! Pocket Cassius Clay.

Teofilo Stevenson

Rigo or Gamboa have a very long way to go before they reach the legends of Jose Napoles, Kid Gavilan, Luis Manuel Rodriguez and Kid Chocolate. Rigo and Gamboa may the best lately because so many most Cuban defectors have failed terribly in the pros. Guys like Jorge Luis Gonzales, Ramon Garbey and Diosbelys Hurtado were unfortunately the best since Cuba fell to communism. What are you talking? Are you comparing Napoles (or Chocolate, Gavilan, etc.) to Rigo? Are you joking? Rigo has been more dominant, wherever he has been fighting, than ever have been any of the fighters you mentioned.... and by the way Rigo was fighting ALL THIS YEARS at the highest level, and these fighters don't. In the pro, when a fighter is defeated, spent one year fighting bums!!! Other example, Chris John is an undefeated "world champion" by 10 years...Could someone compare John's pro career with half of Rigo's amateur career?? It would be a joke! Otherwise, please, don't mention Jorge Luis Gonzales, nor Garbey, nor Diosbelys Hurtado nor Casamayor when talking about Rigo...these guys are nothing in Cuban boxing history, NOTHING!!!

Rigo or Gamboa have a very long way to go before they reach the legends of Jose Napoles, Kid Gavilan, Luis Manuel Rodriguez and Kid Chocolate. Rigo and Gamboa may the best lately because so many most Cuban defectors have failed terribly in the pros. Guys like Jorge Luis Gonzales, Ramon Garbey and Diosbelys Hurtado were unfortunately the best since Cuba fell to communism.

Rigo is the best Cuban boxer of all time I have no doubts: Rigo is the best Cuban boxer of all time (Of course it's not because he defeated Donaire, Rigo already defeated fighters better or similar to Donaire) Rigo is a world elite boxer since 2000 (he was 20 years old). He is undefeated for more than 10 years and BTW he won: 2 Olympic Games, 2 World Championships and many other tournaments (where boxers can´t avoid or select rivals) and... won SEVEN Cuban National Championships in line (not even Stevenson won 7 in line)!!! If Rigo had stayed in Cuba could have won the Olympics in 2008 and 2012 with great ease, with 31 years he would have been 4 times Olympic Champion, and 13 times Cuban Champion. Since Rigo turned professional in 2009 I have not seen anyone from 118 to 126 able to defeat him, not even Gamboa, whom he already defeated and who was the king at 126 and could destroy Donaire, Mares, etc. Beyond marketing campaings and economic interests of promoters, Rigo was ready to fight and defeat everybody in last 3 years... his poor boxing activity was a shame for Rigo and for boxing lovers. That's why he is the best boxer in amateur history and the best boxer in Cuba boxing history (amateur and pro). My list of the other best Cuban history fighters, in this order: Stevenson, Chocolate, Gavilán, Nápoles and Adolfo Horta (despite his 3 Olympic gold medals, Savon is not in the level of mentioned boxers, Solis and Balado was betters)

miguel cotto

Kid Gavilan, fought all the greats of his era.

Kid Gavilan and his bolo punch. Gavilan had to be one of the toughest fighters I've ever seen (on tape). He took shots without blinking. I believe he was never even knocked down in 143 professional fights. The "Keed" was a very entertaining fighter, a staple of 50's prime-time television.

Kid Gavilan and his bolo punch.

Do you guys think Rigo has a chance to become the greatest Cuban boxer ever? I think it's possible, if Rigo adds a few more impressive scalps to his resume and goes undefeated for the remainder of his career. I say "undefeated" because it's not likely that Guille will have more than 30 or so fights before he hangs 'em up.

Do you guys think Rigo has a chance to become the greatest Cuban boxer ever?

Amatuer - Too close to call... Teofilo Stevenson, Felix Savon, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Mario Kindelan. Pro - Kid Gavilan, Jose Napoles, Kid Chocolate. I'm not as familiar with the amateurs as I am with the pros, simply because the only times I got to see a lot of those guys was during the Olympics. Youtube has made things a lot easier, but I have some catching up to do. My hero growing up was Stevenson. Savon equaled Teofilo's Olympic achievements. I also saw Kindelan and Rigo as amateurs, and was duly impressed. When Guillermo defected, I was excited. As much as I loved Gamboa, I considered Rigondeaux the emissary of the Cuban School of Boxing. Truthfully, I feared he might already be too old to show the world what he was truly capable of as a professional. My fears have evaporated. Based on what I've seen and read, I regard "El Chacal" as the greatest Cuban amateur of all time.

It's either Kid Chocolate or Kid Gavilan. It's about a toss-up, but I'd go with Chocolate if pressed. Napoles, however, was something.

in amateur is close,Rigo, Solis, Stevenson and Savon who was beated by Solis. In pro Rigo

The answer may have been different if Cuba hadn't been control freaks and instead let Cuban fighters turn pro and fight around the world. To top off that, Cassamayor gets a damn bicycle for winning the Gold!! What an insult. That was a sad situation. He had to sell the bike to buy a Pig and feed his family. Cuba needs to change. I can't say how Stevenson would have done as a Pro but he sure as hell had potential, like others. In Stevenson's case, he already stopped a number of Heavyweight champs/contenders so he could easily have held a Heavyweight Title.

Kid Gavilan. It's not particularly close, either.

Yes sir. I wacthed another one too, I forgot the title. "Boys who fought for Castro" was a great documentary. Yeah..that documental touch me..

"The Cuban Punch UP, The Boys Who Fought For Castro" excellent documentary. Yes sir. I wacthed another one too, I forgot the title. "Boys who fought for Castro" was a great documentary.

This one kid I saw on some Cuban kids boxing documentary. Holy smokes, the kid was a phenom. "The Cuban Punch UP, The Boys Who Fought For Castro" excellent documentary.