There are rumors going around Trip advisor that a “Sydney Olympics champion boxer” roamed the streets of Cienfuegos, Cuba, meddling in the hotel sector like a smart hustler.
He would block the tourists’ way to restaurants of their own choosing – good restaurants, recommended by friends or websites – and convince them that his the restaurant (at least the one he’s representing) is exceptional.
It was a hoax, the reviews stated, and one that has been played over and over again. Gold medals don’t mean much in a country that bans professional sports. However, sliding and sliding is still the USP of the Castro boxing world. The art of imitating life.
“We looked up boxers from the Sydney Olympics, and he didn’t look like any of them,” the review continued. Maybe it was even part of his actions. The warriors remaining in Cuba, regardless of their amateur achievements, often work hard, clothe themselves with rich loyalty, and are rewarded with handshakes or respectful eye contact.
Thank you for not turning your back. Very few defects, sacrificing their sense of nation, their idea of home, in search of what they deserve. But for boxers who are left behind, often this is life.
In Cienfuegos, the greatest warrior from the cleanest city in Cuba is only an unspoken memory. Robeisy Ramirez (9-1, 5KOs) left her hometown in 2018 with the help of Jo Hastings, a chef in Tampa, Florida, and now, speaking to Social boxingHe seems happier than ever.
Ahead of his stellar fight with undefeated contender Abraham Nova, serving as the main backing for the Top Rank light-heavyweight unification fight between Artur Beterbiev and Joe Smith Jnr, Ramirez exuded confidence and level.
“I asked the same question, ‘Why is the war perhaps not motivated more vigorously?’ For sure, in my opinion, it was a very important fight. This is important because I understand that the winner is pretty much guaranteed a chance for a world championship or at least a championship.
“So whoever wins the fight is really knocking on the door to win the world championship. But I do feel confident in predicting that there’s a chance it won’t go beyond eight rounds and I’ll beat him well. ”
Ramirez, who had previously sparked controversy on Twitter by comments from his opponent, continued: “The better the Gladiator, the better the opponent, the better Robeisy comes out. And the better my results, [I mean] you can see my progress. How I look, how I feel, and the way I perform in the ring are the result of the changes we’ve made.
“He made a specific comment about me being obsessed with gold medals, some nonsense or crazy things. [talk] that I heard from him. ‘The gold medals mean nothing; He lost one of his gold medals when he lost his professional debut, and he’s going to lose another one to me,’ that’s what Nova said. I don’t consider myself a talkative person; I don’t like the whole social network talking – when I do, it’s guaranteed. That is labor. ”
The gold medal means something okay; they mean $30,000 in cash – amazing amounts of money that Ramirez, now 28, sold them. His performance during the games in London 2012 and Rio 2016 is truly absurd.
He edged out Andrew Selby, Michael Conlan and Tugstsogt Nyambayar as an 18-year-old Cuban, and then went for a better record at 22, ousting Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Shakur Stevenson, now both homegrown players. supreme champion in the respective weight classes.
However, the world amateur championship somehow escaped him, with Andy Cruz being picked in his place, even though Ramirez beat his countryman that same year.
“Those two Olympic gold medals created expectations about where I needed to be in the professional classes. They are the result of a particular stage in my life, and yes, I have reached a very high level, but it is completely different. [now]. There are five matches in about 10 days of the Olympics. Preparation is different.
“The idea now is really to recalibrate, refocus my mind and body to reach new levels as a professional. I left that stage behind, and I don’t compare one with the other. The Olympic stage has nothing to do with what I expect to achieve in the professional ranks, which is, of course, greatness. ”
He looked great after news of his defection spread like wildfire, and after landing in Mexico, and then in the United States, Ramirez signed with an advertising agency. of the great power, Top Rank.
Bob Arum has compared his signing to Vasiliy Lomachenko (by their competitive amateur title cabinet, of course), and things look extremely promising. Build the story, the fighter does not need to build.
Many will recall watching the debut of Ramirez, opposite Adan Gonzalez, the no-nonsense traveling opponent but the game is set against supernatural skill, the Cuban magician. It didn’t go as planned. In one of the biggest betting messes of the year, Gonzalez beat Ramirez early, and emerged with a huge decisive win.
Is it really all for nothing? Hiding in Mexican towns, hiding from the authorities and the aggressive gangs waging war just a few streets away, Ramirez sacrificed everything. However, he ended up here, in America, but on his back and leaving with both hands at his sides, the empty ships failed their engineer.
“The impact of that defeat, of what happened in that first war, was the realization that I needed to change and needed to make the right decisions regarding my career,” the former man said. boasts an amateur record of 420 wins explained and only 30 losses.
“First and foremost, I realized I needed to change the angles and that’s how I met Ismael Salas. As a result of my decision to join forces with Salas, I really feel that I have learned the style of professional boxing; after that, I was able to hone my skills better. As a result of that change, I feel that it has improved the trust my promoter, Top Rated, has in me now. ”
Gonzalez enjoyed his moment in the sun, and just 11 months later would suffer a total, unanimous defeat at the hands of a new Cuban champion. They can’t let El Tren roll without returning to its first failed passenger stop. No doubt.
And it’s been smooth since then, amassing a total of nine wins on the wheel and recently showing off his abilities in Glasgow, Scotland, defeating a solid ordinary Eric Donovan. Ramirez was exceptionally fluid that night, placing his shots alongside sublime finishes, displaying the ruthlessness that left Cuba’s top amateurs discarded after the transition. It was his defining moment.
Recalling his time in Cienfuegos, ‘Rocky’, fondly remembered by those who helped him escape Cuba in 2018, recalls his parents’ relentless hard work and describes his upbringing as ” middle class.” But the Cuban middle class, at that level. On his face, he had a big smile, separating small scars and bruises, recalling his early days with dreams of turning and turning, and creating difficult shapes.
“My parents are always working and all I can say is that at least we had food, and always food on the table and that makes us happy. I decided to invest most of my time in every sport available, be it football, baseball, karate, track and field. I did it all and I always hang out at the beach because my town is a seaside town.
“I would spend my afternoons on the water whenever I could. My sister and I have lived in what I would describe as relative peace, despite the well-known hardships of the Cuban dictatorship. Hunger, health crisis and all this is almost a mystery to me.
“I lived a happy childhood. I still talk to my friends who I have established and supported me. Since I was five years old, I still talk to these people. I started boxing about 20 years ago when I was 8, and the truth is, it was like a graduation card to me. That’s my graduation card – look where boxing has taken me. ”
It has taken him all over the world: Germany, Mexico, USA, Scotland, just to name a few. But it no but gave him what he deserved. Until the big championships arrived – championships he didn’t have to sell on a whim to make extra money – he still hadn’t fully justified his defection or decision.
Ramirez remains one of the most talented actors of our generation, and he’s about to make a mark on his professional playing career.
Return to Cienfuegos, while “Sydney Olympic champion boxer” spends his time luring confused tourists into alley restaurants for small sums of money after telling them stories of ‘the good old days’, the locals will remember Robeisy Ramirez, even though they may not shout his name from the rooftops, they know him as one of the greatest.
They will wonder what he’s doing, how he got up, whether he’ll ever return to Cuba. But this – unlike the culinary art of deception promoted in the opening passages – is no trick. He escaped; He longs to do something for himself. Because pats on the back don’t pay the bills, and even legacy can collect dust under the cover of the imposed darkness…
“As a fighter, I think what people will remember most is what I consider my brand, which is my happiness. I always smile. Sometimes I will even stick out my tongue. It’s not about disrespect. It is just due to the sheer enjoyment of the moment.
“I know it’s a dangerous sport but I’m enjoying it. That’s why I smile, and the better things go, the happier I am. All that I’ve done, all that I’ve achieved as a boxer in 20 or 30 years, they should remember I smiled. And that I am the best son, brother, and father I could be. ”
