Boys at a Havana gym practice their boxing stance. Boxing, like baseball, is a sport many Cubans are passionate about.
Practice makes perfect —
Boys at a Havana gym practice their boxing stance. Boxing, like baseball, is a sport many Cubans are passionate about.
Patrick Oppmann/CNN
Cuban fighters square off at a regional boxing tournament. A victory here could lead to a selection for the country's national team and the possibility of representing Cuba at the Olympics.
Golden ambitions —
Cuban fighters square off at a regional boxing tournament. A victory here could lead to a selection for the country's national team and the possibility of representing Cuba at the Olympics.
Patrick Oppman/CNN
Boxers in Cuba fight at an exhibition match on May 10, 2012. Despite the fact that fighters cannot compete professionally, the country has consistently produced world-class boxers.
Amateur spirit —
Boxers in Cuba fight at an exhibition match on May 10, 2012. Despite the fact that fighters cannot compete professionally, the country has consistently produced world-class boxers.
Patrick Oppmann/CNN
Hector Vinent Charon trains the youngsters at the Rafael Trejo boxing gym in Havana. Charon (left) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, having won the light welterweight at both the 1992 and 1996 Games.
Charon's challengers —
Hector Vinent Charon trains the youngsters at the Rafael Trejo boxing gym in Havana. Charon (left) is a two-time Olympic gold medalist, having won the light welterweight at both the 1992 and 1996 Games.
Getty Images
Professional sport is outlawed in Cuba, but it does not stop some of its athletes making money from their talent. Yuriorkis Gamboa won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics before defecting and eventually launching a pro career in the U.S.
The professional path —
Professional sport is outlawed in Cuba, but it does not stop some of its athletes making money from their talent. Yuriorkis Gamboa won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics before defecting and eventually launching a pro career in the U.S.
Getty Images
Cuba has an incredible Olympic boxing pedigree, having won 32 gold medals in the sport. Teofilo Stevenson is arguably the country's greatest Olympian, winning three heavyweight golds from 1972.
On the rise —
Cuba has an incredible Olympic boxing pedigree, having won 32 gold medals in the sport. Teofilo Stevenson is arguably the country's greatest Olympian, winning three heavyweight golds from 1972.
Getty Images
Stevenson's final gold came at the 1980 Moscow Games, where he beat Piotr Zaev of the Soviet Union in the final. Stevenson was also crowned world amateur champion on three occasions.
Heavyweight hero —
Stevenson's final gold came at the 1980 Moscow Games, where he beat Piotr Zaev of the Soviet Union in the final. Stevenson was also crowned world amateur champion on three occasions.
Getty Images
In Beijing four years ago, Cuba failed to clinch an Olympic gold. Emilio Correa (left) had to settle for silver after losing to Britain's James DeGale in the middleweight final.
Settling for silver —
In Beijing four years ago, Cuba failed to clinch an Olympic gold. Emilio Correa (left) had to settle for silver after losing to Britain's James DeGale in the middleweight final.
Getty Images