For former Avilanian fighter Aníbal Rodríguez, 15 November 1995 is an unforgettable date. On that day, in the last bilateral match between Cuba and the United States, held in Kentucky, he defeated Jeffrey Clank in the 71 kilogram weight class.

Three years later, he won the Pan-American competition in Argentina, and from then until 2000, he was the best fighter on the island at his weight.

A native of Chambas, Ciego de Avila, on several occasions he climbed to the top of the podium at the Playa Girón and Giraldo Córdova Cardín tournaments, and never lost a fight outside Cuba.

He remembers Alfredo Duvergel as his toughest rival and is grateful for the support of coach Honorato Espinosa during the decade he was a member of the national team.

With a degree in Physical Culture, he is a trainer at the Rubén Pedroso Coubertier provincial academy, with the contribution of athletes to high performance centres.