Erislandy Lara...WOW!

[javelin_fangs]

I know his fight only lasted one minute, but wow was that impressive. The rumor is that Guillermo Rigondeux, who tried and failed to escape with Lara, is even better. Both would probably be better than Gamboa, who, if nothing else, will be a fun fighter to watch for at least the next 5-8 years.

Throw in the fact that Odlanier Solis might be a heavyweight contender and that group of 5 Cubans who either escaped or tried to escape in a 12 month period have some amazing talent. I can see why Fidel Castro got so pissed and banned his team from competing in the 2007 Worlds.

[krispy kreme]

We have to see him against more competition. His fundamentals look better than Gamboa, but Gamboa looked just as flawless is his first few fights. This other Cuban you talk about, what is the story with him? I saw his name a few times when I entered Lara's name is google, but I have never seen him fight. Almost no one is the U.S probably has.

Some super talented fighters emerging from Cuba though.

[NAPO]

yeah lara looks impressive. and what i like about him is his discipline.

[Kball15]

He has no right hand and no, Lara is not going to be better then Gamboa

[javelin_fangs]

We have to see him against more competition. His fundamentals look better than Gamboa, but Gamboa looked just as flawless is his first few fights. This other Cuban you talk about, what is the story with him?

Gamboa was always a whirlwind. I truly believe Lara is going to be better than him even on the basis of just one one minute fight compared to having seen Gamboa in a half dozen fights totaling close to 30 rounds.

The story is that three 2004 gold medalists and 2008 gold medal favorites, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Yan Barthelemy and Odlanier Solis, all escaped Cuba and fled to Germany in Dec 2006. In August 2007, two amateur champions and 2008 gold medal favorites, Erislandy Lara and Guillermo Rigondeux, were caught trying to escape and kicked off the Cuban national team.

At the time, people were saying that both Lara and Rigondeux were better than the three gold medalists and that Rigondeux was the best amateur boxer in the world. I thought, at the time, that it was probably hyperbole that they were both better. But anyway, Lara ended up getting away a few months later. Rigondeux is still stuck in Cuba and banned from boxing. It's a damn shame especially if he really is better than Gamboa and Lara.

[NAPO]

He has no right hand and no, Lara is not going to be better then Gamboa

pacquiao didn't have one neither and now look at him.

he only needs to train more with his right and he'll be all set.

[krispy kreme]

Gamboa was always a whirlwind. I truly believe Lara is going to be better than him even on the basis of just one one minute fight compared to having seen Gamboa in a half dozen fights totaling close to 30 rounds.

The story is that three 2004 gold medalists and 2008 gold medal favorites, Yuriorkis Gamboa, Yan Barthelemy and Odlanier Solis, all escaped Cuba and fled to Germany in Dec 2006. In August 2007, two amateur champions and 2008 gold medal favorites, Erislandy Lara and Guillermo Rigondeux, were caught trying to escape and kicked off the Cuban national team.

At the time, people were saying that both Lara and Rigondeux were better than the three gold medalists and that Rigondeux was the best amateur boxer in the world. I thought, at the time, that it was probably hyperbole that they were both better. But anyway, Lara ended up getting away a few months later. Rigondeux is still stuck in Cuba and banned from boxing. It's a damn shame especially if he really is better than Gamboa and Lara.

I heard about the Gamboa story and some of Lara's. But I just heard about Rigondeux recently. If he is better than them, I think he could find his ticket out of Cuba soon. I am going to look up more stuff on him.

Thanks.

[Kball15]

pacquiao didn't have one neither and now look at him.

he only needs to train more with his right and he'll be all set.

there's a reason why pacquiao's transformation is considered so remarkable. cause it rarely ever happens.

[HOMETOWNCHAMP]

I heard about the Gamboa story and some of Lara's. But I just heard about Rigondeux recently. If he is better than them, I think he could find his ticket out of Cuba soon. I am going to look up more stuff on him.

Thanks.

I was really impressed with Lara last night, he seems like he has the fundamentals to make it a long way as long as some promoter doesn't come along and offer tons of money and have him lose motivation and become undisciplined.

[javelin_fangs]

there's a reason why pacquiao's transformation is considered so remarkable. cause it rarely ever happens.

Pacquiao was a one handed fighter. Lara is not one handed like Pacquiao. He has an amazing left and a good right.