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Cuban boxers Dairo Daniel Girado Montesinos and Julio Roniel Galloso Jorrín left the national delegation during a stopover in Spain while the team was traveling to Rostock, Germany, to participate in the fifth edition of the International Greifenpokal.
Cuba sent six boxers to the tournament in Germany —held in mid-May— but only four competed, as Girado and Galloso did not arrive in the host country. After staying in Spain, both moved to Mexico, where they are currently training for their imminent debut in professional boxing, revealed the digital magazine Cubalite.
In an interview with the independent media outlet, Girado, a 23-year-old from Villa Clara competing in the 70 kg category, candidly explained his reasons for leaving: "I have nothing against my country; believe me, it was hard for me to decide to leave the nation where I grew up and where my family is. Necessity forced me to do it in order to move forward; that's all I have to say. I will always be proud to be Cuban."
The boxer confirmed that there are only two months left until his professional debut: "I will make my professional boxing debut in July; I'm only looking for new opportunities to shine in my sport and help my family."
Regarding his current situation, Girado stated: "I stayed in Spain and then moved to Mexico. Here I will have some professional fights, and then I plan to compete in another country. The training here is very different from amateur, and I am undergoing good preparation for my debut in July."
His colleague Galloso, a 65 kg athlete from Matanzas, is also part of the professional project in Mexico. The International Greifenpokal was set to be the first international competition for both with the national team, highlighted Cubalite.
Girado completed a training camp in China in October 2025, and earlier, in May, he won a bronze medal at the Playa Girón Tournament held in Camagüey, after losing in the semifinals to the experienced Jorge Cuéllar.
Meanwhile, Galloso was unable to attend the "Playa Girón" due to health issues. In other national competitions, he faced world medalists Saidel Horta and Lázaro Álvarez, but was outperformed by both.
Of the boxers who competed for Cuba in the International Greifenpokal, Magda Massó claimed the championship in the 57 kg category, Xavier Fernández took silver in the 80 kg category, and Dinaibis de las Nieves won bronze in the 51 kg category, while Carisney García did not win any medals.
The official Cuban press, including the sports portal JIT, reported on these results without mentioning at any point the absence of Girado and Galloso.
The escape of both boxers is part of the ongoing exodus of Cuban athletes that has persisted for years. In April 2025, three Cuban handball players left the women's national team after the Norceca in Mexico, and that same month players Rafael Viñales and Denis Peña did not return with their delegation. In August, four Cuban athletes disappeared during the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, Paraguay.
According to reports from independent media, more than a thousand Cuban athletes have left official delegations in the last decade, a figure that reflects the deep crisis of national sports under a system that prohibits its athletes from competing in the international professional circuit.
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