Tribute in Puerto Padre to Teófilo Stevenson on the VI anniversary of his death

June 11, 2018

Family members, friends, athletes and the general public will participate today in a pilgrimage to the cemetery in Puerto Padre, Las Tunas, where the remains of three-time world and Olympic champion Teófilo Stevenson Lawrence rest, on the sixth anniversary of his physical passing.

In addition to family members, authorities and residents of Puerto Padre and the Province of Las Tunas, sporting legends who were part of the national boxing team with the Great Champion will participate in the pilgrimage, such as José Gómez, Lorenzo Aragón, Armandito Martínez, Félix Savón, Mario Kindelán, Omar Santiesteban and Genovevo Griñán.

The tribute to the extraordinary athlete will take place on the penultimate date of the VI Cup that bears his name, whose final is scheduled for tomorrow in the Leonardo McKenzie Grant multipurpose hall, the venue where Stevenson officially said goodbye to active boxing on July 25, 1988.

During the final day, the 20 undefeated boxers will compete for the title among the 92 competing in Las Tunas last Thursday.

During his sports career, Stevenson won 301 of the 321 fights he competed in, but his greatest achievements were won in Munich-72, Montreal-76 and Moscow-80, venues where he became Olympic Champion, as well as in the World Championships in Havana-74, Belgrade-78 and Reno-86.

Out of solidarity with the then Soviet Union, which had decided not to participate in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 and Seoul 1988, Cuba also did not attend those games, which is why it is estimated that Stevenson would have ended his sports career with four or five gold medals in the competition of the five rings.

The giant from Delicias (central Antonio Guiteras) is not only very beloved by the Cuban people for his sports successes, but also for having rejected the insistent offers made to him from abroad to desert and turn professional, and also for his humanitarian sense and the practice of clean boxing.