Why has Cuba, historically, underperformed when it comes to the pro's

[Coreytrevor12]

Because they aren't turning professional as often as other countries do. It's the same reason why Soviets didn't have any pro success. Cuba has had 17 professional champions which is more than Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan. Ukraine and Russia would be a better comparison. Only a small fraction of Cuba's top amateurs have the opportunity to turn pro. Cuba currently only has 50 or so professional fighters and only maybe 6 or 7 who were successful amateurs. Russia and Ukraine has something like 500 pros each and almost all of their elite level amateurs become professionals instead of 1 or 2 per Olympic cycle like the Cubans seem to do. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan both have atleast a couple hundred profighters and most of their World/Olympic medalists turn professional as well

[Pac=Duran]

Not enough experience with the rough stuff and gritty opponents.

They start too late

[pacmanis1]

As a white guy from the Midwest I feel qualified to answer this, too much freedom. But in all seriousness I wanna say some guys do suffer mentally since they have to basically ditch their family to defect? Also point only style and wear and tear of hundreds of fights play a part.

[Marchegiano]

Yeah, Cuba gets hyped a lot for no good reason.

A lot of them start getting hyped early in their careers but it's usually all Spanish press early on. I used to get tired of hearing about how this Cuban or that Cuban is going to shake up boxing but these days I just kind of expect it. It's easy to get Latinos behind Latinos. If there's no Puerto Rican ranked in a division and there is a Cuban you can bet tons of PRs will back the Cuban.

[_Rexy_]

By the time they get to America and turn pro, they've already past their prime.

[sicko]

Well guys are defecting Younger now so it will be interesting to see how guys like Robeisy Ramirez (26) and David Morrell Jr (22) Develops as Pros. Morrell looks like a Special Fighter with BIG Power and a very physical style while Ramirez seems to be struggling with the transition from the Amateurs to the Pros

Hope to see Andy Cruz next as a Pro!

So yeah I think if they're allowed to come over younger and get with the right Trainers here in America then you will see them have a lot of success as Pros as well but that is easier said than done for them

[YNG]

There are plenty of things about Cubans turning pro, some of them don't give a **** like Jorge Luis Gonzales or Odlanier Solis, some of them were mismanaged like Gamboa and Diosbelys Hurtado, some of them have a glass chin like Yan Barthelemy, some of them get the actual opportunities but don't have the meanstreak like Rigondeaux or the other Barthelemy's and some can put the mindset and opportunities together to have a solid career like Lara or Casamayor.

It's hard to know which one you would get, Robeisy Ramirez looked like he was part of the Solis/Gutierrez type, ****y and lazy but got his lesson early on and seems to be improving under Ismael Salas, who clearly understand the mindset of a Cuban athlete and the transition from living in Cuba to living in the US. At the end is really hard for them, they have been living in a gym since they were kids, most of them poor, to go to a place where no one gives a **** about what they do, it's a cultural shock.

Teofilo Stevenson had all the talent in the world but he struggled against swarmers, Felix Savon had dynamite in his punches but he had a glass chin.

I feel like Angel Espinosa could have been an ATG, one punch ko power in both hands, great footwork, beautiful technique, excelent balance, iron chin, liked to fight and could box as well. He had cardio issues tho.

Mario Kindelan is a P4P talent, he could have been at least at good as Rigondeaux IMO and maybe even better.

Ariel Hernandez was a fantastic mover, light on his feet, sharp counter puncher and he could punch as well but he said that he didn't liked inside fighting and that's not a good sign for a succesful pro.

Adolfo Horta could fight at any distance, he was a great boxer and his combinations were as good as anyone's, I think he could have been a world champion.

You have guys like Jose Gomez, Hector Vinent, Juan Hernandez Sierra, Candelario Duvergel, Leonardo Martinez Fizz, Roberto Balado, Julio La Cruz, all of them could have been good pro's but the truth is that we would never know...

[YNG]

Angel Espinosa

Jorge Luis Gonzales when he actually trained

Adolfo Horta

Teofilo Stevenson

[Earl-Hickey]

Usually they have very very poor punch resistance.

Also they are normally 10-15 years older than the age on their passports, so most "mid 20s" Cubans are actually past their primes and pushing 40

Add those two factors in and there's your answer

[lopetego]

Because they have glass jaws

all of them