HAVANA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The Cuban Tamers defeated the visiting Tigers from Uzbekistan 5-0 on Friday, to qualify for the semifinal stage of the World Series of Boxing with an aggregate score of 7-3.
The Tigers arrived in Havana in an excellent shape and with a first leg 3-2 win over their Caribbean rivals a week ago in their first clash held in their home in Samarqand.
Cuba needed to rise above that result if they wanted to pass to the next phase so the Tamers did their best at the Havana Sports City overcrowded by the local aficionados.
In the super heavyweight fight, 2009 world bronze medalist Jose Angel Larduet beat Bakhodir Jalolov.
His victory was the final touch to complement the previous success of the fly Yosbany Veitia, the lightweight Lazaro Alvarez, the welter Roniel Iglesias and the heavyweight Julio Cesar La Cruz.
Veitia was not afraid of the height of Jasurbek Latipov and scored with fast hits of his left hand, supported by a solid defence.
A wound in Veitia face forced the fight to be stopped before the fifth round finished but his job was done, and the judges ruled 3-0 in his favour.
Alvarez, a three-time world champion, dominated the fight with Elnur Abduraimov, defeating him for the third time.
Meanwhile 2012 London Olympic titlist Roniel Iglesias got his revenge over 2016 Rio Olympic runner-up Shakhram Giyasov.
Julio Cesar La Cruz, twice Olympic champion, did also his best to beat Shakhram Giyasov.
Cuba is considered a world power of boxing, a sport that has provided over the half of the island's Olympic awards.
Results:
52kg: Yosbany Veitia (CUB) 3-0 (49-46, 48-47, 49-46) over Jasurbek Latipov (UZB)
60kg: Lazaro Álvarez (CUB) 3-0 (50-45, 50-45, 49-46) over Elnur Abduraimov (UZB)
69kg: Roniel Iglesias (CUB) 3-0 (48-47, 49-46, 49-46) over Shakhram Giyasov (UZB)
81kg: Julio Cesar La Cruz (CUB)3-0 (48-47, 50-45, 49-46) over Bektemir Melikuziev (UZB)
+91ig: Jose Angel Larduet (CUB) 3-0 (49-45, 50-44, 50-44) over Bakhodir Jalolov (UZB)
