The outlook for him boxing, one of the sports that best portrays the Latin American idiosyncrasy remains encouraging in 2019.
12 of the 68 world champions recognized by the four governing bodies of the region come from the region. boxing in its 17 divisions.
Mexico tops the list with six of those 12 champions and its standard-bearer is Jalisco Saúl ‘Canelo’ Álvarez, a media star and box office.
Álvarez signed a contract with DAZN in 2018, the streaming company that will allow him to earn $ 365 million for ten fights.
Another fighter that generates expectations in 2019 is the Colombian Eleider Álvarez, who on August 4 of last year snatched the world light heavyweight title of the World Organization of Boxing (WBO) to Russian Sergey Kovalev.
Álvarez, the Latin American with the greatest weight among all those who reign in the boxing, repeatedly brought down Kovalev and they will have a new appointment this year.
The list of world champions from Latin America is completed by the recently crowned Mexican Carlos Licona (minimum), the mini-flies Ángel Acosta (Puerto Rico-OMB), Félix Alvarado (Nicaragua-International Federation of Boxing (FIB)) and Carlos Canizales (Venezuela (World Association of Boxing (AMB)).
Likewise, the Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodríguez (WBO bantamweight), the recently crowned Emmanuel Navarrete (WBO super bantamweight) and the Puerto Rican Alberto Machado (WBO super featherweight), as well as the Mexican Miguel Berchelt (World Council of Boxing (WBC), whom logic and common sense would put in the same ring in 2019 in a unifying fight.
At super welterweight, also Mexican Jaime Munguía reigns in the WBO version and in the super middleweight, ‘Canelo’ Álvarez WBA and his countryman Gilberto ‘Zurdo’ Ramírez WBO have 50 percent of the championships in that division.
A clash between them seems imminent.
It is a fact that not all of these 12 will finish 2019 as champions, but it is also true that other Latin Americans are shaping up to reach a world title.
Among them are the experienced Román ‘Chocolatito’ González, the Mexican Juan Francisco ‘Gallo’ Estrada, the Panamanian prospect Ricardo ‘Científico’ Núñez, who is 20-2-0 with 18 wins before the end.
Likewise, Mexican super featherweight Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernández, undefeated after 26 fights, 23 of them resolved by fast track.
Also the former world champion Jorge Linares, a Venezuelan who sent to the canvas the one considered by many to be the best pound for pound in the world, Vasyl Lomachenko.
Also the recently dethroned Nicaraguan flyweight Cristofer Rosales and Cuban ex-Olympian Guillermo Rigondeaux, who is going for a new wind after losing undefeated in 2017 with Lomahenko.
Argentina does not hint at the moment a succession after the farewell with very few honors of who had everything to be champion, Lucas Matthysse.
The consequences of the gradual change of sports policies in Cuba and its approach to professionalism are expected with expectation. EFE