Famous Cuban Boxers

Erislandy Lara Santoya is a highly accomplished professional boxer known for his technical skills and success in multiple weight classes. He is the current WBA middleweight champion and has held various WBA light middleweight titles and the IBO light middleweight title. With a background as captain of the Cuban national amateur team, Lara has won multiple championships and accolades, showcasing his excellence in the sport. He is widely recognized as one of the top active middleweights in the world, earning a reputation for his exceptional boxing abilities.

Teófilo Stevenson Lawrence was a Cuban engineer and amateur boxer who competed from 1966 to 1986. He achieved great success in boxing, winning three Olympic gold medals and being recognized with prestigious awards such as the Val Barker Trophy and the Olympic Order. Stevenson's impressive career placed him among the elite group of boxers who have achieved three Olympic gold medals, a feat shared by only two others in history. His dedication and skill in the sport solidified his legacy as a boxing legend.

Benny Paret, also known as Benny "Kid" Paret, was a Cuban welterweight boxer who achieved notable success in the early 1960s by winning the World Welterweight Championship twice. His professional career included a lifetime record of 35 wins, with 10 of them coming by way of knockout, along with 12 losses and 3 draws. Tragically, Paret's life came to a sudden end due to injuries sustained during a title defense match against Emile Griffith, which was broadcast live on ABC's Fight of the Week in March 1962.

Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano is a Cuban professional boxer known for his success in the featherweight division. He held the WBA featherweight title from 2009 to 2011 and the IBF featherweight title from 2010 to 2011. With an impressive amateur career, Gamboa won a gold medal at the 2004 Olympics and a bronze at the 2005 World Championships. Throughout his professional career, he showcased exceptional skills and determination, earning him a reputation as a formidable and accomplished boxer in the sport.

Guillermo Rigondeaux Ortiz is a highly accomplished Cuban professional boxer, known for his exceptional skills and achievements in the sport. He has held multiple world titles in different weight classes, including the unified WBA (Super), WBO, and Ring magazine super bantamweight titles. Rigondeaux also claimed the WBA (Regular) bantamweight title during his career. With an illustrious amateur background, highlighted by consecutive gold medals at the Olympics, he transitioned to the professional ranks in 2009 and maintained an impressive undefeated streak for nearly nine years. Rigondeaux is revered for his fast hand speed, punching power, counterpunching abilities, athleticism, reflexes, footwork, and defensive prowess.

Kid Chocolate, a Cuban boxer, had a successful professional career from 1927 to 1938. With a record of 136 wins, 10 losses, and 6 draws, including 51 wins by knockout, he was a formidable presence in the ring. His accomplishments led him to be recognized by Ring magazine for having 50 or more career knockout wins. In 1991, he was rightfully inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame, solidifying his legacy as one of the greats in the sport.

Félix Savón Fabre is a Cuban former amateur boxer who achieved tremendous success in the sport. He is a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a six-time World Champion in the heavyweight division. Despite numerous lucrative offers to turn professional and fight Mike Tyson, Savón remained loyal to Cuba and rejected the opportunities to defect. His dedication to amateur boxing and his remarkable achievements have solidified his reputation as one of the greatest amateurs in the sport's history.

Mike Perez is a skilled professional boxer with a notable career in the cruiserweight division. Holding the WBA Intercontinental Cruiserweight title showcases his talent and dedication to the sport. His impressive performance led him to challenge for the WBC cruiserweight title in 2017, highlighting his ambition to compete at the highest levels. With a strong presence in the boxing world, Mike Perez continues to make waves with his skills and determination inside the ring.

José Ángel Nápoles was a highly successful professional boxer, known for his skill and dominance in the welterweight division. He held the WBA, WBC, and The Ring welterweight titles between 1969 and 1975, establishing himself as a two-time undisputed champion. Nápoles is regarded as one of the greatest fighters in the welterweight division, with a record of the most wins in unified championship bouts in boxing history, shared with Muhammad Ali. He fought professionally in Cuba before relocating to Mexico and becoming a Mexican citizen.

Kid Gavilan, also known as Gerardo Gonzalez, was a Cuban boxer who achieved great success in the welterweight division during the early 1950s. He was the undisputed world welterweight champion from 1951 to 1954, holding titles from NYSAC, WBA, and The Ring simultaneously. Gavilan was named Fighter of the Year in 1953 by the Boxing Writers Association of America and was recognized as the 26th greatest fighter by The Ring magazine. He was inducted into both The Ring magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame and the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Frank Sánchez Faure is a Cuban professional boxer known for holding multiple titles, including the NABO and WBC Continental Americas heavyweight titles. He began his professional career in 2015 with a first-round TKO victory. Throughout his career, Sánchez has showcased his skill with impressive wins and knockout victories against notable opponents. His strategic approach and determination have led to successful title defenses and significant wins, solidifying his reputation as a top contender in the heavyweight division.

Luis Ortiz is a Cuban professional boxer known for his impressive career in the heavyweight division. He held the WBA interim heavyweight title from 2015 to 2016 and has challenged for the WBC heavyweight title twice in 2018 and 2019. With a silver medal at the 2005 Boxing World Cup, Ortiz has showcased his exceptional punching power and counterpunching skills in the ring. As of November 2021, he is ranked as the world's eighth-best active heavyweight by The Ring magazine and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board.

Yordenis Ugas Hernández is a Cuban professional boxer known for his impressive career in the welterweight division. He held the WBA (Super) title from 2021 to April 2022, previously holding the WBA (Regular) title. With a successful amateur background, including a gold medal at the 2005 World Championships and a bronze at the 2008 Olympics, Ugas has demonstrated his skill and determination in the ring. His nickname, "54 Milagros," pays tribute to his close friend Aroldis Chapman and his mother, reflecting the personal connections that motivate him.

Yuniel Dorticós Pao is a highly accomplished Cuban professional boxer, known for his outstanding career in the cruiserweight division. He has held both the WBA and IBF cruiserweight world titles, showcasing his skill and determination in the ring. As of August 2022, Dorticós is recognized as one of the top active cruiserweights in the world, ranked third by The Ring magazine and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and sixth by BoxRec. His impressive record and consistent performance have solidified his reputation as a formidable force in the boxing world.

Luis Manuel Rodríguez, also known as "El Feo," was a Cuban professional boxer who began his career in pre-Castro Havana. He twice defeated future welterweight champion Benny Paret in Cuba and held the WBA, WBC, and lineal welterweight titles in 1963. He also challenged for the WBA and WBC middleweight titles in 1969. After the Cuban Revolution, he continued his boxing career in the United States, based in Miami, where he defeated notable welterweights such as Virgil Akins and Rudell Stitch.

Joel Casamayor Johnson is a retired Cuban American professional boxer who had a successful career spanning from 1996 to 2011. He held world titles in two weight classes, including the WBA super featherweight title from 2000 to 2002 and the WBC, Ring magazine, and lineal lightweight titles from 2006 to 2008. Casamayor also achieved a gold medal in the bantamweight division at the 1992 Olympics before defecting to the United States. His career was marked by notable achievements and a reputation as a skilled and accomplished boxer.

José Manuel Ribalta, a Cuban former professional boxer, competed in the heavyweight division from 1982 to 1999. Standing at 6 ft 6 in with an 80-inch reach, he was a talented gatekeeper known for his brave performance against Mike Tyson in 1986. Throughout his career, Ribalta faced and defeated notable fighters like Leon Spinks, while also experiencing losses to fighters such as Frank Bruno and Larry Holmes. He faced tough opponents like Vitali Klitschko and Chris Byrd towards the end of his career before retiring.

Sullivan Barrera is a skilled Cuban professional boxer known for his impressive career achievements. He rose to prominence by winning the middleweight gold medal at the 2000 AIBA Junior World Championships as an amateur. Transitioning to the professional ranks, Barrera made a mark by challenging for the WBA light heavyweight title in 2018. With his determination and talent, he has demonstrated his capabilities in the boxing world, earning respect and recognition for his performances inside the ring.

Yoan Pablo Hernández Suárez is a Cuban-German professional boxer who achieved significant success in the cruiserweight division. He held the IBF and Ring magazine titles between 2011 and 2015, establishing himself as a skilled and formidable competitor in the sport. Additionally, he also secured the WBA interim cruiserweight title in 2011. Throughout his career, Hernández showcased his talent, determination, and resilience in the ring, earning a reputation as a top-tier boxer among fans and peers alike.