Ramón Cabrera

Roleaux, whose real name was Ramón Cabrera, was the first Cuban heavyweight to campaign in the United States where he fought 17 bouts between August 6, 1926 and March 26, 1929. In Cuba the scarcity of boxers of great height and weight was present in that era.

The majority were classified as light heavyweights and some with a few extra pounds would not exceed cruiserweights today. After Roleaux, others would do the same until reaching the successful Julio Mederos, Omelio Agramonte and el Niño Valdés.

On that tour through Uncle Sam's lands, the native of Cuba's most western province defeated people of true caliber from that era such as Frankie Vine with a record of 33 victories, 6 defeats and 8 draws.

Earl Blue winner of 35 fights with 6 defeats and one draw, Art Weigand with 34 in his favor and ceded nine to the competition, reaching 10 fights with equal results, Battling Jack Monrroe with 12 wins and 9 losses against outstanding figures and the battler Benny Ross who had 40-26-9.

In Cuba he prevailed over the stars Jack Middleton, Eladio Herera, Sparrimg Caballero, Kid Cárdenas and defeated more than once Clemente Sánchez 'La Pantera de Camajuaní' and in a separate list the American visitors Homer Robertson, Joe Griffith and George Schladenhauten.

His victory over el Moro Abd El Kebir held at the Anfiteatro de Santos y Artigas is recorded in the series of great fights of yesteryear. Another highly notable encounter, although it ended in a defeat for the left-hander with the terrible punch after 12 hard rounds, was against the Canadian heavyweight champion Jack Renault.

It should be noted that in the national territory the opponent who proved invincible to Roleaux was Gregorio Rico, who had the fighting name 'Goyito'. This four-time national champion of all weights defeated him on four occasions and in a fifth encounter the struggle ended in a no contest.

Roleaux Saguero born in Pinar del Rio and established in the city of Undudoso and his rival Santiago Esparraguera fought fiercely on 10 occasions.

Although Esparraguera distinguished himself for being the one who best managed the science of boxing among all the heavyweights of his era, both were very strong punchers. The 'Cabo' as they nicknamed the first double champion Cuban in the maximum categories, of his 46 victories 42 were achieved by putting his opponents to sleep and Roleaux of his 24 wins in 22 of them put his opponents to sleep.

Santiago, according to the chroniclers who saw him fight, was an artisan in the handling of his left hand with which he hit as hard as with his right.

Six times the left-hander won and 4 times Esparraguera won. Their confrontations always ended by way of knockout. Both held the light heavyweight and heavyweight titles simultaneously. Santiago had won the light heavyweight title against Louis Smith and the heavyweight title by defeating Antolin Fierro. Roleaux for his part claimed the light heavyweight championship by defeating Santiago and the heavyweight belt he also obtained by defeating his eternal rival the dangerous 'Cabo'.

Roleaux relinquished the light heavyweight title when going to fight outside the country and the heavyweight title he lost to Goyito Rico his four-time defeater another strong puncher of the following era, winner of 25 fights of which 21 were before the final bell of the encounter rang. The rivalry of el Saguero with Esparraguera is one of the three greatest rivalries in our boxing.