More Cuban boxers defect!

[Phantasm]

from a rival site...

Two-time Olympic godl medalist and world amateur champion Guillermo Rigondeaux (118lbs) and world amateur champion Erislandy Lara (147lbs) have apparently fled the Cuban delegation at the Pan American Games being held in Brazil. Both boxers were no shows at the weigh-in for their respective first around fights and their whereabouts are unknown. Rigondeaux, 26, was the major figure of the talented Cuban team and there is little doubt that he and Lara will now cross over into the pro ranks, joining former Olympic gold teammates Odlanier Solis, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Yan Barthelemy, who defected earlier this year.

[HeartAttack]

the times of the entire world holding the Cuban amatuers up as deities and celebrities is over. Gone are the days of which Stevenson would be recognized by all and adorned by woman (ones he didn't reportedly ****). Now that communism's influence has declined, the opportunities that the pro game provides fiscally outwieghs the social relevance of being a great amatuer. Basically, we will continually see this with more frequency and the talent pool just got deeper in the lower weights.

[Phantasm]

Update: Cuban boxers defect !
By José Elias Flores Jr - www.ringue.net
The Cuban delegation, as well as everybody at Pan Games 2007 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was quite surprised when it was announced that two of Cuba's most pretigious amateur boxers, Erislandy Lara Santoya and two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux, had left their teams for unknown reasons and could not be located. Both of them did not show up for the weigh in for their fights on Sunday (losing on W.O.) and have oficially been declared as "traitors" by longtime Cuban leader, Fidel Castro. "They were knocked out by that green paper. The United States have always used this kind of procedure to try to destroy Cuba's resistance," wrote Castro in a widely distributed email. Rigondeaux has won 244 of 248 amateur fights. According to Brazil's Globo TV, both boxers have probably traveled on a small plane to Paraguay, from where the have probably gone to somewhere in Europe. Recently, three other top Cuban boxers, including heavyweight Odlanier Solis, defected from their national team while training last December in Venezuela

[demirturk]

i bet ahmet öner snatched them

[PunchDrunk]

Lara fought at 152. There's no such thing as 147 in the ams.

[eazy_mas]

Lara fought at 152. There's no such thing as 147 in the ams.

yes and ther eis no such thing as super or jr. It either middleweight or welterweight

[Phantasm]

Update on the story from a rival site...Looks like Demirturk was right.

NEWS FLASH
Arena inks defected Cuban stars!
Arena Box-Promotion, which made big news by signing the three Cuban Olympic gold medalists who defected last December, has done it again. Two-time Olympic bantamweight gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux and world amatuer welterweight champion Erislandy Lara, who both defected from the Cuban team last week in Rio de Janeiro have signed five year deals with the Hamburg-based promotional company. Within the next four weeks, the two boxers will arrive in Hamburg. "I can't reveal where the athletes are currently, for understandable reasons," said Arena boss Ahmet Öner. "The fact is, however, is that it takes time to arrange the visas, as well as the residence and work permits. Of course we will present the young fighters to the public upon their arrival in Hamburg. I'm already looking forward already to that day."

[Phantasm]

Another update....

NEWS FLASH
Rigondeaux deal questioned!
Boxing manager and attorney, Antonio "Tony" Gonzalez, based out of Miami, Florida, has issued a statement in response to Arena Box-Promoton/Ahmet Öner’s announcement of the signing two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux to a five-year promotional deal.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It is an unfortunate situation that Mr. Öner has decided to make this announcement, especially when he is fully aware of my exclusive management contract being in place with Mr. Rigondeaux. He took it upon himself to whisk him (Rigondeaux) away in the Pan Am Games, and have him sign a promotional deal without proper, or legal representation, thus making said deal unenforceable. While I do acknowledge that Arena proposed the best promotional deal for my other clients, Solis, Gamboa, and Barthelemy, earlier this year, there is no way of knowing that Arena would have been the front runner this time around. What is even more disturbing is the fact that Öner is fully aware of my contract with Rigondeaux by virtue of our existing relationship with my other clients, yet he elected to completely neglect it."

[BrooklynBomber]

Lara fought at 152. There's no such thing as 147 in the ams.

I heard(in my gym) Rigondeaux has a stumbling record of something like 244-4, is that true?

[Phantasm]

That's what the records say, though I dunno how much of that can be confirmed or not.