In the 10th of a series of profiles leading up to the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, we are taking a look at some of the world’s elite boxers who will be competing at the biggest sporting event of the world this month. Here is Cuba’s Julio Cesar La Cruz, one of the best light heavyweight boxers of all-time, who has now moved up one weight class, and is doing great on the heavyweight scene.
Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist
La Cruz won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in the light heavyweight division, then the gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in 2021 in Tokyo in the heavyweight division.
In Rio, La Cruz beat Mehmet Nadir Unal of Turkey 3-0 in the round of 16, Michel Borges of Brazil 3-0 in the quarterfinals, bronze medalist Mathieu Bauderlique of France 3-0 in the semifinals, and silver medalist Adilbek Niyazymbetov of Kazakhstan 3-0 in the gold medal bout. Joshua Buatsi of Great Britain won the other bronze medal.
In Tokyo, La Cruz beat Elly Ochola of Kenya 5-0 in the first round, Emmanuel Reyes of Spain 4-1 in the quarterfinals, bronze medalist Abner Teixeira of Brazil 4-1 in the semifinals, and Muslim Gadzhimgomedov of the Russian Olympic Committee 5-0 in the gold medal bout. David Nyika of New Zealand won the other bronze medal.
Upset in London
La Cruz was the favourite to win the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London in the light heavyweight division. However, he was upset in the quarterfinals to Yamaguchi Falcao of Brazil 18-15 and failed to medal.
Four Consecutive World Championship Gold Medals
From 2011 to 2017, La Cruz won four consecutive gold medals at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in the light heavyweight division. In 2011 in Baku, Azerbaijan, La Cruz beat Niyazymbetov 17-13 in the gold medal bout, in 2013 in Almaty, Kazakhstan, La Cruz beat Niyazymbetov again 2-1 to win gold. In 2015 in Doha, Qatar, La Cruz beat Joe Ward of Ireland 3-0 in the final, and in 2017, La Cruz beat Ward again 5-0 in the final in Hamburg.
Three wins as a Professional
Since turning professional in 2022, La Cruz has won all three of his bouts. He beat Deivis Casseres of Colombia via knockout in Aguascalientes, Mexico on May 20, 2022, beat Juan Rodolfo Juarez of Argentina via technical knockout in Quilmes, Argentina on August 28, 2022, and Austine Nnamdi of the United Arab Emirates via unanimous decision in Conakry, Guinea on December 16, 2023.
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