CUBAN great Julio Cesar La Cruz is coming to Liverpool, targeting the record books. Only Felix Savon has won more world golds in men’s boxing than La Cruz’s five.
And La Cruz can also equal Adolfo Horta’s record of winning world titles at three weights.
The Cuban won at bantamweight (1978), featherweight (1982) and lightweight (1986) and La Cruz has won golds at light-heavyweight (2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017) and heavyweight (2021).
Now 36, he is up at super-heavyweight at the M&S Bank Arena.
La Cruz, who beat Ireland’s Joe Ward in the 2015 and 2017 light-heavyweight finals, also has a pro career and weighed 212¾lbs and 213lbs for his past two fights.
He was dropped in his last pro outing, against Dilan Prasovic in April.
The 20-6 Montenegrin undid the Cuban master in the second by feinting to the body with a jab and then arcing a left hook onto his chin to sweep him off his feet. But La Cruz went on to stop him in the next.
La Cruz, known for his movement and lay-back-and-counter style, was known as ‘The Untouchable’ during his peak, which also brought him two Olympic golds (2016 and 2020).
Last summer, he bowed out of the Paris Olympics in the last 16, losing a split to Loren Alfonso (Azerbaijan).
La Cruz won his first World Championship in Azerbaijan in 2011.
He went to Baku as a 22-year-old seeded No.14 and reached the final with a shock win over the top seed and defending champion, Russian southpaw Egor Mekhontsev.
