The Cuban boxer Alejandro Claro Fiz was unable to secure a medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics after losing his match for the bronze against the Frenchman Billal Bennama.
Claro Fiz, who had shown an impressive performance in his previous matches, could not overcome Bennama, who appeared superior in the ring and won by unanimous decision.
At 23 years old and currently ranked as the third-best boxer in the world in the 51 kg category, the Cuban arrived in Paris with high expectations.
His path to the Olympic podium included a decisive victory over the Brazilian Michael Trindade, which secured him a spot in the Olympic competition.
Claro had promised to fight for the gold medal, but his defeat in the semifinal left him battling for the bronze.
"My first dream was to reach this event, and I have already fulfilled it. Now I am in search of that gold medal for which we have worked so hard," said the Cuban boxer minutes after his victory over Trindade.
Finally, in the fight for bronze, Claro Fiz faced Bennama, an opponent with whom he had already had several encounters in the past.
Both boxers knew each other well, having trained together in both Cuba and France. However, Bennama managed to prevail with an effective strategy and precise punches, securing victory and leaving Claro off the Olympic podium.
Disappointing Results for Cuba
The performance of the Cuban delegation in Olympic boxing at Paris 2024 has been disappointing overall and will yield fewer medals than expected in a sport that Cuba has dominated for decades in the Olympic arena.
Apart from Claro, other Cuban boxers have also had difficulties advancing in their respective categories. Among them is double Olympic champion Julio César La Cruz, better known as La Sombra, who lost his fight against the Cuban-Azeri Loren Berto Alfonso Domínguez.
Loren Berto, who competes in Paris under the flag of Azerbaijan, a country with which he won the Olympic bronze in Tokyo 2020, in the light heavyweight category (75-81 kilograms), eliminated his fellow countryman by a judges' decision (3-2).
Cuba recorded another loss in Paris 2024, following the adverse result of Saidel Horta against Munarbek Seitbek Uulu from Kyrgyzstan in the 57-kilogram division.
Horta, universal silver medalist in 2023, said goodbye to the competition after an unexpected situation, as a cut on his face prevented him from continuing the fight in the third and final round.
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