IF THERE IS ONE keyword for Erislandy Lara at 40, it’s confidence. That was not the case in June 2008, when he left his native Cuba for an uncertain future in Germany.
This was Lara’s second attempt to defect, and a successful one after a trip to Brazil a year earlier ended with authorities sending him back to Cuba, where he was banned from practicing the sport. unlimited. For a young man with roots in boxing, it was unthinkable to be deprived of that outlet. So he tried to leave again, knowing that his only way to play professionally was to work away from home.
He boarded a speedboat to Mexico, and from there to Germany, where Arena-Box Promotion signed him to a professional contract, and the news – which was reported by Reuters news agency – was good. But Lara is still a stranger in a foreign land, and the future is far away.
Lara told Boxing News through an interpreter: “When I first went there, Germany was scary because I didn’t know anyone. “Things got better when we started making money from fighting and I had good people taking care of me, so I got better over time.”
Less than a month after defecting, the 2005 amateur world champion entered the ring, defeating Ivan Maslov in four rounds. Lara’s professional debut was in Turkey, ironically again on July 4, Independence Day in the United States, a country that will soon play an important role in his life. In other words, he was far away from Guantanamo, a place he hadn’t seen since he left 15 years ago.
“I haven’t been to Cuba yet, but I plan to come back someday,” Lara said. “I still send money back to my family. Right now, I want to end my boxing career, then I will make the decision to go back to Cuba.”
Lara, now sixth in middleweight and a WBA belt holder after holding that organization’s title at 154, knew he couldn’t fight forever, so with Danny Garcia up his sleeve plans in August, it’s clear he wants to go with a bang.
“I’m at the end of my career, so I’m fighting for my legacy,” he said. “I want to be remembered as one of the best boxers to ever come out of Cuba and as a fighter who always wanted to fight the best.”
He could have hit both points. His talent on fight night was undeniable and always will be, especially when he’s fighting the best, as he certainly did at super welterweight when he went head to head. with the likes of Paul Williams, Alfredo Angulo, Austin Trout, Ishe Smith, Jan Zaveck, Brian Castano, Yuri Foreman and Jarret Hurd. However, it was his most notable loss which he considers to be the one that showed him at his best.
Lara said of his 2014 meeting with Mexican star Alvarez, to whom he lost in a controversial split decision: “I’ve been in a lot of great games, but the one against Canelo for me. Everyone knows I’m an elite boxer. . “Even though I didn’t win on the scoreboard, the fans knew that I won that game and so did I. It’s pure Cuban boxing at its best. Canelo can’t touch me. He knows I won that game, and so do the fans.”
Whether you think Alvarez or Lara won that fight, you have to appreciate the swagger Lara has, and that never goes away. And as a member of the Cuban boxing school that values technique and a fighting IQ above all else, Lara has adjusted her style as the years have passed, from a polished boxer who suffered a lot of people think boring turns into someone who’s willing to trade-in introspection if that’s the case. It will take to get the win.
“At 40, I feel like a modern-day Bernard Hopkins, still going strong in the last years of my life,” said Lara, who won an empty WBA middleweight belt with a knockout knockout of a heavyweight opponent. Thomas LaManna for 80 seconds. in May 2021. “I still believe I’m one of the best boxers in the sport. When I first started, I used my feet to win; now i’m having an inner struggle where i feel people will see that i really have power. At this stage of my career, I want to show my fans that I am the perfect fighter. I’m focusing more on my punches, so getting knocked down is what I want… to prove one thing that I have power.”
Since the win over LaManna, he added an eighth-round save from Gary O’Sullivan on his first defense last May. But the upcoming fight against Garcia will tell the story, even if the middleweight title fight will be in the hot 155-pound weight division.
“Danny Garcia has accomplished so much in his career, being a multi-division world champion like me, so I believe this is going to be a great, competitive match.” Lara of the former welterweight and ultralightweight boxer, who debuted said at 154 pounds last summer. “He is gaining weight, so I feel like I have an edge in every area. My goal will be to take him down and solidify myself as the top middleweight in the tournament.
If he succeeds, there will be a fight against Michael Zerafa waiting, but at this point Lara is not interested in the forced game play. He just wanted level fights in the last years of his career.
“I think this is a big boxing match,” he said of his meeting with Garcia. “You have two proven fighters who will leave everything in the ring. Boxing needs big names against each other, so yes, I agree, I just want to fight the biggest names in boxing.”
An exit strategy like that would only enhance his legacy, but again, his story isn’t just about boxing. It’s about pursuing a dream, no matter the cost, and succeeding. In 2017, Lara and his wife, Yudi, became citizens of their homeland of the United States, which gave them a fresh start that they will never forget.
“Becoming a US citizen means the whole world to me,” Lara said. “I have created a wonderful life in America, so I am grateful for the opportunity to live life to the fullest. You can inspire people at any time, which is a great thing. I hope my story inspires others to follow their dreams and make the best out of life in whatever you do.
He said: “Boxing has been an important part of my life since my early years as a kid and I believe it will always be a part of my life. “Only God knows what my life will be like after my career is over, but I feel like I’ll be a part of boxing to some extent.”
