The trials for the Central American and Caribbean Games started on March 11th, Joahnys Argilagos, the talented 21 year old light flyweight from Cuba defected in Tijuana and is looking forward to get political asylum based on his accolades and the possible consequenses if he goes back to Cuba.
He is a talented fighter and the youngest of the Cuban team, Cuba went to win 8 of the 10 weightclasses in the tournament, Yosbany Veitia in 52 was sick and couldn't fight and Argilagos defected, my two teammates Robinson Rodriguez (my former trainer) and David Jimenez won those two finals.
Sick to think that the dead freak Castro has these people living like this, Cuba needs radical changes for the better their athletes deserve to have a say in what they want to do.
Last I know, he was denied entry into the states, he's still somewhere in Mexico, I don't know how the policy on asylum works in Mexico, but if he's not allowed to come to the states or stay in Mexico, he's screwed. I hope he can stay in Mexico and fight there, if he gets a few wins there he could get visa to come fight in the states.
Robeisy Ramirez has now lost to Shakhobidin Zoirov, 2016 Olympic Gold medalist at 52kg, and Yoel Finol 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist at 52kg, in the WSB.
Proving that 52kg was much better than 56kg at the 2016 Olympics. A lot of people were hyping 56kg, but I always said it was getting a little overrated.
I predicted that Robeisy was not going to get a third gold medal. It still may be too early.
Yeah, I apologize, I thought that it was about Ramirez and Calderon.
La Cruz is a great fighter but he's going for his fourth olympic qualification, is a little too late for him IMO, around 2013/2014 he was at his best, he could have been a champion in my opinion but right now he has been looking far less impressive than he did a couple of years ago.
You’re right. Too old by now. That’s always been a big problem for Cubans defecting. You figure, by the time some of these guys get a title shot, they’re already thirty years old. Canelo is only 27, and he’s been a star for a minute now. Verdejo, despite being inactive for over a year, is 24. And if he hadn’t lost this weekend, he’d probably be in line for a title shot.
We were comparing Calderon with Argilagos, not Ramirez. I’m saying I don’t foresee a good future with Joahnys, being such a tiny guy. Robeisy is a different story. He’s big enough, and has the style to make it as a pro. Speaking of professionals, I think that De La Cruz might be the best on the team right now, but I don’t know if his style would translate well to the pros.
Yeah, I apologize, I thought that it was about Ramirez and Calderon.
La Cruz is a great fighter but he's going for his fourth olympic qualification, is a little too late for him IMO, around 2013/2014 he was at his best, he could have been a champion in my opinion but right now he has been looking far less impressive than he did a couple of years ago.
Calderon was minimumweight, Robeisy is a bantamweight, he can cut to superflyweight as a pro and you can see how well they are doing on HBO or he can go up to super featherweight, also, Shakur Stevenson, King Tug, Michael Conlan and Andrew Selby are four guys that Robeisy beat that are doing it quite well in the pros.
In your opinion who is the best of the team?, because for me you can pick either La Cruz or Robeisy but that's about it.
We were comparing Calderon with Argilagos, not Ramirez. I’m saying I don’t foresee a good future with Joahnys, being such a tiny guy. Robeisy is a different story. He’s big enough, and has the style to make it as a pro. Speaking of professionals, I think that De La Cruz might be the best on the team right now, but I don’t know if his style would translate well to the pros.
Interesting observation on Robeisy. If only. Lol
Calderon is an exception. How many other guys that size can you name that did as well? Odds aren’t good.
Calderon was minimumweight, Robeisy is a bantamweight, he can cut to superflyweight as a pro and you can see how well they are doing on HBO or he can go up to super featherweight, also, Shakur Stevenson, King Tug, Michael Conlan and Andrew Selby are four guys that Robeisy beat that are doing it quite well in the pros.
In your opinion who is the best of the team?, because for me you can pick either La Cruz or Robeisy but that's about it.
That’s true he’s tiny but hey so was Calderon and he did ok for himself.
I really wish Robeisy would bring his ass over to the states the kid has potential to be a beast in the pros.
2x Olympic gold medalists and fights more like a pro already than an amateur, his style reminds me a lot of Salvador Sanchez.
Interesting observation on Robeisy. If only. Lol
Calderon is an exception. How many other guys that size can you name that did as well? Odds aren’t good.
I hear ya about Robeisy he is imo the best of all the Cubans when he’s on and his style is perfectly suited for the pros.
Robeisy is one of my favorites. I agree with most of what you said, but I don’t know if he’s the best of the lot. Too bad he’s a small guy as well. Still, it would be great if he defected. Couldn’t happen soon enough.
I read about this defection some time ago. Didn’t bother mentioning it because, frankly, I don’t think this kid has a future in the pros. I wish Joahnys well, but he’s a tiny guy (an even 5 feet tall). There’s little enough interest in the lower classes as it is. Argilagos would be competing in the lowest weight class of them all.
Niiiiiice. Its been awhile since any Cuban defected that I can recall. Think Marcos Forestal was the last or among the last & his pro career has been inactivity at its finest. Plus Cuban pro boxing could use a new cat as its been taking a beating lately.
Good luck to this cat in getting legit out of Cuba with all the legal bs & eventually delving into pro boxing hopefully.
Argilagos is in an awful position to be, he was bad in Cuba and if he comes back, it's all over for him but the things aren't like they used to be for Cubans in USA, he has strong argument to get political asylum just based on what could happen to him if he goes back but even if he is able to enter to the United States, he is a light flyweight, promoters are not interested in Cubans based on how they are looking recently.
At the end of the day, he can be new blood for the Cubans, Yordenis Ugas was the last olympian from Cuba that turned pro, he is only 21 and his amateur record shows his quality.
I hope he does well and hopefully someone like Robeisy Ramirez follows him.