Yordenis Ugás: "Cuban fans are not made to support great fighters"

The boxer Yordenis Ugás criticized Cubans who follow boxing and assured that they are not made to support big fighters.

In a text shared on his Facebook profile, Yordenis stated that Cuban fans suffer from "victimhood" and questioned the attitude that many of them show towards their compatriots.

"I don't know if it was communism, I don't know if it's ignorance, I don't know if it's from so many years believing the lie that we were the best in amateur sports, but many come close to being bad fans; it's so absurd that it drives me crazy sometimes," he said.

The boxer recalled a phrase that has been repeated for many years, that "the Cubans don't win fair", and emphasized that he has never heard it when a Mexican, Filipino, or African-American boxer loses.

"The first thing they have to do is to be more cautious and humble in that, saying that this or that is the best without demonstrating it, that is the first thing," he warned.

Ugás referred to the recent defeats of Cuban fighters, such as Frank Sánchez's loss to German Agit Kabayel last Saturday in Saudi Arabia.

In boxing, the last fight is always the most important. So, if every time a Cuban loses, we have to listen to those comments, imagine that. Do not misunderstand, your protest is valid, your disappointment as well; but one thing is that, to be speaking cheerfully and putting up posters, which are absurd," he questioned.

Today, someone wrote to me cheerfully: "Ugás, Cubans are not made for great fighters." And I replied: "And Cuban fans are not made to support great fighters." "Screw it," he concluded.

Yordenis has always shown his professional ethics and solidarity with his colleagues, whether they are Cuban or from other countries.

He recently celebrated the victory of his friend and compatriot Erislandy Lara, who retained his 160-pound world title in the Premier Boxing Champions in a fight against Australian Michael Zerafa at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

"Congratulations to Erislandy for his good victory. Regardless of age, he is as good and talented as the first day," he said.

In December, he had words of encouragement for Robeisy Ramírez after losing his fight against the Mexican Rafael "El Divino" Espinosa for the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight title.

Ugás began his post on Facebook by highlighting his respect and admiration for the two-time Olympic champion from Cienfuegos.

Champion, it was a tough night, but where you gained more than you lost. This is boxing. This is life. Many of the greatest champions in history are made from victories, but above all from defeats, from how they react to defeats," he wrote.

Once you had to start from scratch, but not anymore. You are already a champion and that is for life. This will almost certainly be the fight of the year on ESPN," he added.