Julio César La Cruz vs. Madiyar Ogli Saydraximov & Arlen López Cardona vs. Luis Antonio Tejada RBR

Hey, Havana, ooh na-na (ayy).

First actual professional boxing to be sanctioned in Cuba in five decades. Teammates from this summer's Olympics are looking to become pro champions - bronze medalist López competing for the inaugural IBA light heavyweight "American title" while César La Cruz hopes to avenge his shock exit in the Round of 16 (at the hands of turncoat and eventual silver medalist Loren Alfonso, representing Azerbaijan) by claiming the IBA cruiserweight world title which has lain vacant for nearly a decade since Mairis Briedis won it.

Tejada, from the DR and bussed over from the other side of the island, is a late sub for Belarusian southpaw Aliaksei Alfiorau, who withdrew last week due to injury. Both he and Saydraximov of Uzbekistan are young professionally undefeated prospects.

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...how's that for a clarion roll-call?

 

We're live now from the Coliseo De La Ciudad Deportiva.

 

Underway:

Saidel Iván Horta Rodríguez Del Rey vs. Ruslan Aleksandrovich Belousov, 6 rounds @ featherweight

 

Pro debut for Horta (fresh off his Olympic exit, losing to Kyrgyz silver medalist Munarbek Seitbek Uulu at 57kg).

Belousov is 4-0 (3) and was a pretty well-seasoned amateur himself, mostly on the Russian domestic circuit.

 

Full card:

1. This one in progress now.
   
   
2. Lázaro Jorge Álvarez Estrada vs. Mujibillo Dilmurodjon Ogli Tursunov, 6 rounds @ light welterweight
   
   
3. Erislandy Álvarez Borges vs. José Ignacio Muñoz Bolivar, 6 rounds @ light welterweight
   
   
4. Roniel Iglesias Sotolongo vs. Gurgen Madoyan, 6 rounds @ welterweight
   
   
5. Arlen López Cardona vs. Luis Antonio Tejada, 8 rounds @ light heavyweight
   
   
6. Julio César La Cruz Peraza vs. Madiyar Madiyar Ogli Saydraximov, 10 rounds @ cruiserweight

 

The commentator (didn't identify himself, but not a local...very heavy British accent) makes it a close contest...he thinks Horta clearly won round three but the rest are in debate, with the Cuban probably also edging the first and second but losing the fourth and fifth.

 

Nasty cut on Horta's left cheek.

 

UD for Horta, successful pro debut. Belousov falls to 4-1.

 

No issues with that result, but have to wonder here...do the visitors need to score knockouts to get W's?

There's a strong nationalistic current, and the ring emcee only reading out "decisión unánime" without the individual scorecards, idk...

 

Lázaro Jorge Álvarez Estrada vs. Mujibillo Dilmurodjon Ogli Tursunov, 6 rounds @ light welterweight

 

Tursunov, a 24 year old Uzbek, comes in 4-0 just like Belousov did in the opener (but with just one stoppage instead of three).

Lázaro Álvarez debuted in 2022 and is 6-0 with three by kayo.

 

Tursunov was badly hurt by a looping left in the 1st, otherwise very little in it. Both being cagey and keeping distance.

10-9 Álvarez