Semi-finals of Cordova Cardin Boxing Tournament to take place today

HAVANA; Cuba, Jun 1 (acn) Twenty local athletes reached the semi-finals of Cordoca Cardin boxing tournament to take place today at Havana's Sports City Coliseum.

During the fourth day of the contest, famous as light welterweights Jorge Moirán, Kevin Brown and Andy Cruz advanced to this phase, although expected outcomes left the hosts without prizes at the flyweights.

Moirán eliminated 3-0 Thai Olympic qualified Masuk Wuttichai, Brown did the same versus French Hassan Amzile and Cruz, Pan American featherweight monarch, won by forfeit over Algerian Abdelkader Chadi, another one who will be in Rio de Janeiro.

The African squad did not allow either to rise to the ring another of its boxers qualified to this stage, obviously in protest for the 2-1 verdict that decreed winner Dominican flyweight Leonel de los Santos over Mohamed Flissi.

Actually, the verdict seemed unfair, but subtracting training to the athletes after such a long journey is not the timeliest response at just two months for the Olympics.

By the way, that was that the fatal division for the hosts, because Costa Rican world bronze medalist David Jimenez beat 2-1 Raciel Moncada and Chinese Jianguan Hu imitated him at the expense of Jorge Luis Correoso.

The evening also included actions in middleweight division where Cuba won through Hugo Noriega and Orley Iglesias, executioners of Venezuelan Endris Saavedra (2-1) and Moroccan Merven Clair (3-0), respectively.

The finalists will be defined today and eight bouts will be among locals, with higher expectations focused on the fight between superheavyweights Jose Angel Larduet and Yoandris Toirac.

Another eagerly awaited fight will be the one between Moirán and Brown, although it will also be interesting that in the light heavyweights between Irosvani Duverger and Enmanuel Reyes.

There will also be promising fights among locals and foreign athletes including that of Frank Zaldivar versus Brazilian Robinelson de Jesus in the featherweight division and the one of Andy Cruz against Chinese Quianxun Hu.