The Cuban Olympic champion Erislandy Álvarez is set to make his return to competition at the International Boxing Tournament of Guizhou in China, scheduled from November 3 to 12, as reported on Monday by the official sports media JIT.
Álvarez, who competes in the 65 kg category, leads a team of 13 athletes —seven men and six women— registered by Cuba for this event. The national boxing commissioner, Robinson Poll, was the one who confirmed the team's composition.
The boxer from Cienfuegos had been out of competitions due to a surgical intervention that prevented him from participating in the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo 2026, and more recently, in the Pan American Continental Championship in Puebla, Mexico, held from October 17 to 25. In that last tournament, his spot in the 65 kg category was taken by Luis Enrique Vinent.
Álvarez himself expressed optimism about his physical condition: "I feel good; I've been working in the gym for a while with positive results, and I hope it will be a good comeback." The athlete also thanked the medical staff, the support of the coaching team, and the interest from the fans.
In addition to the Olympic champion, the men's roster includes Ángel Sober (50 kg), Deibys Abreu (55 kg), Rolando Martínez (60 kg), Keilor García (80 kg), Fredisney Morales (90 kg), and Joel Duvergel (+90 kg).
Among the women, Poll highlighted the presence of Dayira Mesa (70 kg), champion of the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo 2026, along with four athletes who won bronze medals at the same event: Keilor García (80 kg), Dinaibys de las Nieves (51 kg), Carysney García (54 kg), and Magda Massó (57 kg). The female delegation is completed by Melani Girado (60 kg) and Naybel Morado (75 kg).
The team will travel under the technical guidance of Julián González Cedeño, Fermín Espinoza, and Yuri Echevarría.
Álvarez is currently the leading figure in Cuban boxing. He won the Olympic gold in Paris 2024 by defeating the Frenchman Sofiane Oumiha by split decision in the final of the 63.5 kg category, marking Cuba's only gold medal in men's boxing at those Games. Previously, he had been the world runner-up in Tashkent 2023.
Cuba arrives in Guizhou with the success of a strong harvest in the previous edition of the tournament, where the delegation won three gold medals—Saidel Horta (57 kg), Jorge Cuéllar (71 kg), and Nelson Williams (92 kg)—and two bronze medals, awarded to Arianne Imbert (66 kg) and Yoana Rodríguez (75 kg).
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