It’s new weight class, same result for Julio César La Cruz.
The 31-year-old Cuban amateur boxer soundly defeated the Russian Olympic Committee’s Muslim Gadzhimagomedov to claim the heavyweight boxing title at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
La Cruz put on a defensive masterclass in his 5:0 win to add the gold medal in a second weight class after winning the gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 2016 Rio Games.
“To win Olympic gold is really very, very tough, and it requires everything really from the boxer,” La Cruz said. “The fighter has to give it his best. All of the boxers are at a very, very top level here, and to reach that gold medal requires hard work and sacrifice.”
It’s the third boxing gold for Cuba at this year’s Games.
La Cruz’s compatriots Roniel Iglesias and Arlen López also moved up one weight class from their previous championship divisions to claim their second golds.
An extraordinary feat has been made common by these three Cuban stars, and they’re aware of the importance of their achievements in their nation’s decorated boxing history.
“We have great talent in our ranks, so we’re confident,” La Cruz said through a translator. “We just have to prepare, train hard and focus on the objective.”
