Havana, March 16 (RHC) – Cuba will compete today in Guadalajara for nine belts and has qualified 13 athletes for the boxing tournament of the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo 2026.
The island’s flagship sporting organization secured a full team in the men’s division with representation in all seven weight categories, and six spots among the women, as it did not field a competitor in the 60-kilogram division.
The two-time Olympic champion Julio César La Cruz (90 kg), the reigning Olympic champion Erislandy Álvarez (65 kg), and the world runner-up Fernando Arzola (+90 kg) will compete for the title in the qualifying tournament, along with Yunier Sorsano (70 kg), Saidel Horta (60 kg), Alejandro Claro (55 kg), and Keylor García (80 kg).
Among the women, Carysney García (54 kg) and Magda Massó (57 kg) advanced to the title match with 5-0 victories against Guatemalan Jennifer Yool and by RSC against Salvadoran Gabriela Cárcamo, respectively.
Although they debuted with losses, Yailena Palomo (51 kg), Dayira Mesa (70 kg), and Yoana Rodríguez (75 kg) also secured their spots at the Santo Domingo multi-sports complex, benefiting from the high number of entries in their respective weight classes.
The Guadalajara event drew just over 80 boxers from Barbados, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and Mexico.
