López increased the sum of Cuban gold medals in contact sports in Tokyo 2020.
Photo: Luis Robayo / AFP / Getty Images
Cuban Arlén López beat Briton Benjamin Whittaker in the men’s light heavyweight boxing final on Wednesday to win gold for more Cuba at Tokyo 2020.
The 28-year-old López thus repeats the gold medal he obtained five years ago in Rio 2016.
The fighter did not yield any of the three rounds to Whittaker and four out of five judges awarded him the victory on points.
Cuba is showing off its boxing repertoire in Tokyo in one of its flagship sports in international competitions.
Lopez’s achievement joins to the gold obtained on Tuesday by Cuban Roniel Iglesias in the welterweight category. In lightweight, the other Cuban Lázaro Álvarez won the bronze medal.
Cuba already has 12 medals in Japan: five gold, three silver and four bronze.
“Giving ‘joy’ to the people”
In the Kokugikan Arena in the Japanese capital, you could see who had already been an Olympic champion.
López waited for the perfect moments, he moved around the ring as if he were dancing; dodging punches, striking with precision as Whittaker relaxed his defense.
“We are very happy (in reference to his family and team) for the sacrifice I have made. We continue standing, bringing joy to the people, to the family members and to the people who love us, ”López said at the post-combat press conference.
The Cuban not only arrived with the Olympic champion credential in Rio. He also won the 2015 World Cup, gold at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games and the 2017 Pan American Championships.
In his career he has won 127 times (20 by knockouts) and has lost 17 fights.
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