Roberto Balado

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In October 1990 Balado (left) beats the Dutchman Arnold Vanderlyde on points.

Roberto Balado Méndez (born February 15, 1969 in Jovellanos , † July 2, 1994 in Havana ) was a Cuban boxer .

Career

Balado started boxing in 1983. In 1986 he reached the heavyweight final of the Cuban championship for the first time at the age of 17 and was defeated there, as in the following three years, Félix Savón . After advancing to the super heavyweight division , he was Cuban champion five times from 1990 to 1994. His first international success was winning the Junior World Championship in Havana in 1987.

When he first participated in the 1989 World Boxing Championships in Moscow , he won the super heavyweight title by defeating the bronze medalist of the 1988 Olympic Games, Alexander Miroshnichenko . He was able to successfully defend the title at the next two World Championships in Sydney in 1991 and in Tampere in 1993 , including a knockout victory over Oleg Maskayev .

In 1992 he took part in the Olympic Games in Barcelona as the Cuban representative in the super heavyweight division . There he won the first and so far only gold medal for Cuba in this weight class. On the way to the title he defeated Larry Donald , Brian Nielsen and in the finals the Nigerian Richard Igbineghu (later a professional under the name Richard Bango). He was also awarded the Val Barker Cup as the best boxer of the games.

Roberto Balado won 122 fights with 9 losses in his career. On July 2, 1994, when he tried to cross a level crossing not far from Wajay in his car, he was hit by a freight train and seriously injured. A few hours later he died in a hospital in Havana at the age of only 25.

More tournament wins

  • Central American and Caribbean Championship - 1987
  • Central American and Caribbean Games - 1993
  • World Cup - 1990
  • International Army Partakiad - 1989
  • Pan American Games - 1991

Web links
personal data
SURNAME Balado, Roberto
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Balado Méndez, Roberto
BRIEF DESCRIPTION cuban boxer
DATE OF BIRTH 15th February 1969
PLACE OF BIRTH Jovellanos
DATE OF DEATH 2nd July 1994
Place of death Havana