Julio César La Cruz will face his eighth world championship, and will seek his sixth gold medal in this contest
Julio César La Cruz, with his characteristic style, always reminds us of the famous phrase of the Roman emperor Julius Caesar when he steps into the ring: Veni, vidi, vici. His body and skills have been enough for him to conquer glory.
The man from Camagüey is a born winner. His six world medals, five of them gold, are a sufficient letter of introduction. Liverpool, host of the World Boxing Championship, is the new objective on the map for the captain of the Cuban school.
“I always go for the gold medal, even though sometimes it hasn’t happened. For this occasion, we have worked hard, and it will not escape,” he confessed.
In the city of The Beatles, he will have a unique opportunity to make history. Should he win the title, as he and his technical team expect, he would equal Félix Savón as the all-time top winners, with six.
“Winning it would be something very big. I will go out to do what I always do, which is to give the best of myself,” he explained.
His golden history at the world level began in the distant year of 2011. Back then, he was a young man barely over 20 years old, and he was already winning his first crown. Then came Almaty-2013, Doha-2015, Hamburg-2017 and Belgrade-2021, accompanied by a third place in Yekaterinburg-2019.
“My goal is not to equal or set records; I have just been lucky enough to do it,” argued the man who is also the top winner of national championships.
In his extensive career, Julio has passed through several divisions, from 81 kg to super heavyweight, in which he will compete in the upcoming world contest. “It is an important challenge. I don’t see it as difficult, because for humans nothing is impossible in life. I have put more desire and love into this new division, and I feel good. I will not let down the technical team, which has placed that confidence in me,” he assures.
Like all winners, he is not intimidated by challenges. “The Cuban people know that I am brave. I have that lineage from my ancestors and our patriots. With that courage, I move forward”.
LIVERPOOL, A LAST CRUSADE?
At 36 years old, with over 20 years fighting in the elite, age is just a number. “I have changed a lot. I still have skills and I will use my sporting mastery. I still have that essence of the style that earned me the nickname ‘the shadow’. I have incorporated other things into my repertoire, as this division requires a lot of strength,” he relates.
That style, followed by some and criticised by others, opened the doors to glory for him.
“It was the work of Alcides Sagarra. He called it pugilistic fencing. Raúl Fernández helped to perfect it. With him, it became stronger, and all these achievements have come,” said the man from Camagüey.
Behind his champion’s armour, he lets us see his human side. “I just want to win medals for me, my mum and my Cuba. That is enough for me”.
Within the national boxing school, he is a leader. “The young lads must be supported so they can reach the top. I try to transmit my experiences to them, in addition to leading by example”.
However, he knows the time to hang up the gloves is approaching. Perhaps this is his last campaign “My retirement is near. I want the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 to be my last tournament,” confessed this man, who afterwards only plans to dedicate more time to his family.
