Why did Cuba ban professional boxing? When was ban overturned?

On Saturday night, Andy Cruz attempts to become the latest Cuban to win a world title when he takes on IBF lightweight champion Raymond Muratalla, live on DAZN. 

If successful, there could be plans for Cruz to make a defence or two in Cuba, and bring big time boxing to the country. 

However, if Cruz's professional career came before 2022, then fighting in his home country would be off the table.

This was because professional boxing was banned in the country, and DAZN News explains why. 

Why was professional boxing banned in Cuba? 

In 1962, Cuba's prime minister Fidel Castro decided to impose a ban on athletes participating as professionals in a series of sports, one of those being boxing. 

His reasoning behind this decision was to stop Cuban athletes from being victims of corporate exploitation, but there was a deeper political reason. 

This ban also meant the Communist Party of Cuba could control individual appearances by the country's athletes and any public statements did not veer from the party's official policy. 

• Read next | I'm a former world champion who has faced Shakur Stevenson. Here is what Teofimo Lopez must do to win

As a result, many of Cuba's boxers with promising amateur careers fled the country to pursue professional exploits in places like the US and Europe. 

One recent example of this is two-weight world champion Guillermo Rigondeaux. 

The 45-year-old defected from Cuba to Miami in 2009 so he could sign a promotional deal and box professionally. 

When was Cuba's professional boxing ban overturned? 

Cuba's ban came to an end in April 2022 which made it easier for their fighters to turn professional rather than jumping through hoops to leave the amateur ranks. 

The first professional boxing show to take place in Cuba following the ban was on April 11, 2022 and it featured the likes of Erislandy Alvarez and Julio Cesar La Cruz. 

However, while this is a sign of progress, there are still issues. 

Cuba still places an emphasis on the amateur code meaning some fighters will see out their best years in the non-paid ranks before turning professional. 

Cruz, who fights for a world title on Saturday night, is 30-years-old, therefore, there is not much time to pursue the biggest fights and opportunities available.

While this explains his fast tracked journey so far as a pro, there is hope that continuous success for Cubans in the professional ranks will be a wake-up call with amateurs making the turn at the right time, instead of being too late. 

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