I read that he has 343 amateur victories.
He has 5 Cuban Championship medals, the first in 2002.
He whooped Mike Perez and lost to Felix Savon in the amateurs. I'm trying to find out when he first started fighting and who else he beat. He obviously has a huge experience advantage over Wilder, but he looks battle-worn.
I am not saying you can't lie about your age and I've heard of these two examples but if they verify your id documents from Cuba unless it was an administrative error I don't see how the Cuban gov't can't put a different age. I live in Cuba and I haven't heard anything like that happening there.
MLB is a multi-billion dollar industry, with every conceivable resource and every motivation to protect their interests. Hernandez passed through several teams and no one found the truth. It must be easier to get away with this than you think.
You actually live in Cuba?
I heard he got 2nd in the Bethlehem Golden Gloves back in the day. Pretty sure Jesus was on PEDs doe.
Charles Martin won that Gooden Gloves.. Ever since that day he walks this earth like God!
When you come to the U.S. you bring your Cuban passport or carnet de identidad if you've come illegally and don't have a passport. You cannot fake a Cuban passport or a carnet de identidad in Cuba (it is issued by the Cuban government) and during the dry feet wet feet legislation you had to provide either one to be given amnesty. So it is very highly unlikely for a Cuban athlete to be able to lie about his/her age regardless of the sport they participate in.
The great Cuban NY Yankees pitcher, Orlando "El Duque" Hernández lied about his age, and got away with it. I remember it was questioned from the beginning. Years later, the truth came to light. Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia, regarding this fact:
When Hernández signed with the Yankees in 1998, he claimed to have been born in 1969. In 1999, The Smoking Gun published his divorce decree from Cuba, which had surfaced in connection with a child support case brought by his ex-wife; the decree revealed him to have been born in 1965. The official site of Major League Baseball still gives his year of birth as 1969, while his pages on ESPN and Baseball-Reference.com list it as 1965.
Dominican second baseman Miguel Tejada was also caught lying about his age. When he was signed in 1993, he claimed he was 17, when in actuality he was 19. http://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=3351418
These are just two examples I know off the top of my head. I'm sure there are others, perhaps many others. There is a lot of money to be made playing baseball, and age plays a significant role in how much money you get. As I said earlier, I don't see the parallel in professional boxing.
Luis Ortiz got silver in the Youth World Championships, he got beat by a big Russian in the finals in a close fight but I thought that the Russian deserved. Ortiz's age is legit, I don't know how people come up with these theories that Cubans are lying about their age, it couldn't be further from the truth. Rigondeaux to me looks like he's mid 40's and he isn't.
It does happen in baseball. I know of a couple of instances, not just with Cubans. But it makes sense in baseball. An older athlete won't get the kind of contract a younger man will. I don't see the benefit a professional fighter might gain by lying about his age. All things considered, I agree with you, Ortiz's age is legit.
Not only does Wiki put Ortiz at 38 years old, but the earliest amateur medal they have him winning is in 2002, which made Luis 23 (or 22, depending on the month). Everyone seems to think Ortiz is older than his listed age, but there is evidence to the contrary. On a side note, the same article says he lost to Odlanier Solís five times in the ams.
Read my mind. You posted this at the same time I was writing my earlier post.
I see............................
... I don't know... Wikipedia has him first winning something:
"Cuban Championships medals: 2002 - Silver medal 95 kg"
Read my mind. You posted this at the same time I was writing my earlier post.
Born on March 29, 1979 (Wikipedia)...
Not only does Wiki put Ortiz at 38 years old, but the earliest amateur medal they have him winning is in 2002, which made Luis 23 (or 22, depending on the month). Everyone seems to think Ortiz is older than his listed age, but there is evidence to the contrary. On a side note, the same article says he lost to Odlanier Solís five times in the ams.
No phucking way. No way am older than that guy. He must be at least 45. Good on him doe.
... I don't know... Wikipedia has him first winning something:
"Cuban Championships medals: 2002 - Silver medal 95 kg"
He was Jem Mace's sparring partner when he was preparing for his early Marquess of Queensberry Rules fight.
I heard he also has an autographed bible.
"Autographed bible." Hahaha Makes no sense, but it's pretty funny. :lol1:
Holy shit, he's more experienced than I thought.
If Wilder knocks him out, he makes it into heavyweight's top 10 ATG list.
Wilder goes to top dog at hw if he KOs Ortiz.
I heard he lost to Ali in the amateurs and sparred Sonny Liston.
He sparred Dempsey and Jack Johnson too.
He was Jem Mace's sparring partner when he was preparing for his early Marquess of Queensberry Rules fight.
I heard he also has an autographed bible.
Luis Ortiz? Oh yeah, he's that guy who trained Bob Fitzsimmons.
Holy shit, he's more experienced than I thought.
If Wilder knocks him out, he makes it into heavyweight's top 10 ATG list.