Split Decision - Cuba's Sporting Export Industry

**GMAN SUPREME** · 12-03-2016, 09:38 AM

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

**SugarRayCurtain** · 12-03-2016, 09:53 AM

No more cuban fighters please, a few more Laras and I think il prefer to watch golf instead

**GMAN SUPREME** · 12-03-2016, 09:56 AM

they should rename that video to how to sabotage your pro boxing career. interviews with gamboa, rigo, solis and many more.

**Cloud** · 12-03-2016, 12:09 PM

God bless the Soviets for helping the Cubans become the cream of the crop.

**JJRod** · 12-03-2016, 12:19 PM

The Cubans need to import some Puerto Rican trainers so that they can teach these fighters that when they get into the pro's they have to actually engage and entertain. Puerto Rican's are very good amateurs yet when they make it to the pros they actually entertain.
The pros aren't like the olympics. You won't be fighting again in 3 days. You can take your chances and go for the kill!

**yngwie** · 12-03-2016, 03:47 PM

I once heard that for the cubans, being free is their world title.
There is a documentary of fighters like Adolfo Horta (died recently by the way), Felix Betancourt, Angel Herrera (maybe a top 10 atg amateur) and Sixto Soria, they are living in awful conditions.
Mario Kindelan did a recent interview saying that he would sell his olympic golds for a good refrigerator.
It's a shame, but if a cuban boxer wants to turn pro, they have to understand that amateur boxing is the place if you want to showcase your skills, but if you go pro, you have to entertain.

**Art-illery** · 12-03-2016, 05:48 PM

Originally posted by yngwie

I once heard that for the cubans, being free is their world title.
There is a documentary of fighters like Adolfo Horta (died recently by the way), Felix Betancourt, Angel Herrera (maybe a top 10 atg amateur) and Sixto Soria, they are living in awful conditions.
Mario Kindelan did a recent interview saying that he would sell his olympic golds for a good refrigerator.
It's a shame, but if a cuban boxer wants to turn pro, they have to understand that amateur boxing is the place if you want to showcase your skills, but if you go pro, you have to entertain.

Yep... The whole ordeal concerning the aftermath of Cuban boxers' careers reminds me of "Boxer" from George Orwell's "Animal Farm" (no pun intended). Boxer was a workhorse that was seen as the posterboy soldier of the "Farm Animal Revolution" because of his tireless physical dedication to the revolution. But when he usefulness "ended" when he blew out his knee, he was unknowingly sent to die in the glue factory by The Pigs. LOL... I watched a few documentaries concerning Cuban boxers myself, and they speak a lot about "Sophie's Choice" (an "Animal Farm" reference); but then I say to myself "Did they read the ENTIRE novel? (if they were even allowed to)."

I remember reading Brim-Jonathan Butler's interview that he did with Teofilo Stevenson before Stevenson passed away. Stevenson was a hero to his boxing school as well as his country, but he died broke and as an alcoholic. And it's funny reading that about Mario Kindelan, because Mario dismissed Rigondeaux as a traitor to Cuba.

**yngwie** · 12-03-2016, 06:06 PM

Originally posted by Art-illery

Yep... The whole ordeal concerning the aftermath of Cuban boxers' careers reminds me of "Boxer" from George Orwell's "Animal Farm" (no pun intended). Boxer was a workhorse that was seen as the posterboy soldier of the "Farm Animal Revolution" because of his tireless physical dedication to the revolution. But when he usefulness "ended" when he blew out his knee, he was unknowingly sent to die in the glue factory by The Pigs. LOL... I watched a few documentaries concerning Cuban boxers myself, and they speak a lot about "Sophie's Choice" (an "Animal Farm" reference); but then I say to myself "Did they read the ENTIRE novel? (if they were even allowed to)."

I remember reading Brim-Jonathan Butler's interview that he did with Teofilo Stevenson before Stevenson passed away. Stevenson was a hero to his boxing school as well as his country, but he died broke and as an alcoholic. And it's funny reading that about Mario Kindelan, because Mario dismissed Rigondeaux as a traitor to Cuba.

I haven't read the book but I've seen the movie, so i get what you are saying.
I don't remember seeing Stevenson ending broke, he was actually treated really well if i remember well, but he was one of Fidel's favorites.

**Art-illery** · 12-03-2016, 06:41 PM

Originally posted by yngwie

I haven't read the book but I've seen the movie, so i get what you are saying.
I don't remember seeing Stevenson ending broke, he was actually treated really well if i remember well, but he was one of Fidel's favorites.

Nah... It was a sad interview, yet you have to admire Stevenson's conviction. The title of the interview is "Heroes for Sale" and it's on SB Nation's web site. This is one of his last pictures during his final interview:

And this is another one with his daughter. He passed a week later:

Split Decision - Cuba's Sporting Export Industry