Roberto Balado Méndez (15 February 1969 – 2 July 1994) was a Cuban
amateur boxer
An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, self-taught, user-generated, DIY, and hobbyist.
History
...
, who competed from
1986
The year 1986 was designated as the International Year of Peace by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands by separating from the Netherlands Antilles.
** Spain and Portugal en ...
to
1994
The year 1994 was designated as the " International Year of the Family" and the "International Year of Sport and the Olympic Ideal" by the United Nations.
In the Line Islands and Phoenix Islands of Kiribati, 1994 had only 364 days, omitti ...
. At the
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympics (, ), officially the Games of the XXV Olympiad (, ) and officially branded as Barcelona '92, were an international multi-sport event held from 25 July to 9 August 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Beginning in 1994 ...
he won a
Gold medal
A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture.
Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have b ...
in the men's super heavyweight (+91 kg).
A natural heavyweight, he was Olympic
champion
A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, Competition, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional/provincial/state, national, continental and world champi ...
(
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
1992), three times
world champion
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...
(
Moscow
Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...
1989,
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
1991, and
Tampere
Tampere is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Pirkanmaa. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Tampere is approximately , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately . It is the most populous mu ...
1993), and five times
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
n national champion. He was also the winner of the Val Barker Trophy for Outstanding Boxer at the 1992 Olympic Games.
Balado was at his prime, looking forward to win many forthcoming events, considered by some boxing experts to be the world's second-best fighter after Félix Savón (who competed one weight division below),CUBAN AMATEUR BOXING STAR KILLED IN ACCIDENT Deseret News. and being one of the favourites of the
1995 Pan American Games
The 1995 Pan American Games, officially known as the XII Pan American Games () and commonly known as Mar del Plata 1995, were held in Mar del Plata, Argentina, from 12 to 26 March 1995. After 44 years, this was the Pan American Games' first retur ...
and
1996 Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
, but died in a car accident.
At the time of his death, age 25, he had 250 fights, with a record of 238 victories, and 12 losses.
Early years
Balado was born in Jovellanos, Matanzas, on 15 February 1969. Before his first birthday, the family came to live in
Old Havana
Old Havana () is the city-center (downtown) and one of the 15 municipalities (or boroughs) forming Havana, Cuba. It has the second highest population density in the city and contains the core of the original city of Havana. The positions of the ...
and shortly thereafter they moved to the El Palenque neighborhood (
La Lisa
La Lisa () is one of the 15 municipalities or boroughs (''municipios'' in Spanish) in the city of Havana, Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, ...
), next to the La Lisa bridge.
He was 14 when he took up boxing, and soon participated in the National School Games.
Career
In 1984, Cuba's long-time Olympic heavyweight Teófilo Stevenson, although retaining physical strength and staying in shape, and even aspiring to win the fourth gold medal in the 1984 Olympic Games (which Cuba ultimately boycotted,) already needed to pass the torch and find a suitable alternate for the Cuban National Boxing Team.
Raúl Fernández's promotional transfer to the Orbeín Quesada training center, headquarters of the National Athletic Selection, played a decisive role in the formation and subsequent consecration of Balado.
Regarding the Balado's ascent to the national team, Alcides Sagarra pointed out: "Raúl spoke with me of the boy and without any hesitation I agreed to get him trained in the 'Finca.' He began to show progress and very soon his was something more than just learning. He was always willing to help in the sparrings, and he didn't care about the name of the opponent in front of him."
Cuban sport officials questioned the decision to include Balado as the Cuban representative in the superheavyweight class to compete at the 1989 World Championships in Moscow, but he proved the critics wrong and won the event.
Highlights
XXV Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), San Jose de las Lajas, Cuba, January 1986:
*1/8: Defeated Ambrosio Moro (Cuba) RSCH 2
*1/4: Defeated Wilder Cervantes (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*1/2: Defeated Francisco Bouly (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Lost to Félix Savón (Cuba) KO 2
Golden Belt Tournament (91 kg),
Bucharest, Romania
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
Szolnok
Szolnok (; also known by #Name and etymology, alternative names) is the county seat of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county in central Hungary. A city with county rights, it is located on the banks of the Tisza river, in the heart of the Great Hungarian ...
,
Hungary
Hungary is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning much of the Pannonian Basin, Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Croatia and ...
, August 1986:
*Finals: Defeated Tigran Terterian (Soviet Union) RSC 1
XXVI Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Holguín, Cuba, January 1987:
*1/16: Defeated Alberto Almeida (Cuba) RSCH 1
*1/8: Defeated Reinaldo Dreke (Cuba) RSC 1
*1/4: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*1/2: Defeated Victor Ispuria (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Lost to Félix Savón (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 0–5
Gee-Bee Tournament (91 kg),
Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki () is the capital and most populous city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipality, with million in the capital region and ...
, April 1987:
* Defeated Georgy Likov (Bulgaria) by decision
* Defeated Gytis Juškevičius (Soviet Union) KO 3
* Lost to Yevgeniy Sudakov (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 0–5
Intercup (91 kg),
Hemsbach
Hemsbach () is a town with approximately 12,000 inhabitants in the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It belongs to the European Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region (Lower Neckar region until 20 May 2003 and Rhine-Neckar-Odenwald reg ...
,
West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
, April 1987:
*1/2: Defeated Wiesław Dyła (Poland) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Defeated Fred Kaddu (Uganda) by unanimous decision, 5–0
Golden Belt Tournament (91 kg),
Bucharest, Romania
Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...
Havana, Cuba
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Caracas, Venezuela
Caracas ( , ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas (CCS), is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the northern p ...
, September 1987:
*Finals: Defeated A. Golotyan (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0
XVIII Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91 kg),
San José, Costa Rica
San José (; meaning "Saint Joseph") is the capital city, capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of San José Province. It is in the center of the country, in the mid-west of the Costa Rican Central Valley, Central Valley, wi ...
, November 1987:
*Finals: Defeated Emilio Payne (Costa Rica) RSC 2
XXVII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, January 1988:
*1/8: Defeated Pedro Montalvo (Cuba) by majority decision, 4–1
*1/4: Defeated Daniel Alonso Zamora (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*1/2: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) by split decision, 3–2
*Finals: Lost to Félix Savón (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 0–5
XXXIX Strandzha Cup (91 kg),
Sofia, Bulgaria
Sofia is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain, in the western part of the country. The city is built west of the Is ...
, February 1988:
*1/2: Defeated Svilen Rusinov (Bulgaria) by majority decision, 4–1
*Finals: Lost to Andrzej Golota (Poland) by split decision, 2–3
XXVIII Playa Girón National Championships (91 kg), Guantánamo, Cuba, January 1989:
*1/16: Defeated Jose Sayu (Cuba) RSC 2
*1/8: Defeated Pedro Montalvo (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*1/4: Defeated Raul Gonzalez (Cuba) RET 2
*1/2: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Lost to Félix Savón (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 0–5
XXII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91 kg), Pinar del Río, Cuba, June 1989:
*1/4: Defeated Sergey Kravchenko (Soviet Union) by decision
*1/2: Defeated Roberto Camilo (Cuba) by decision
*Finals: Defeated Armando Camouzano (Cuba) by decision
VII Military Spartakiad of the Friendly Armies of the Socialist Countries (+91 kg), Sliven, Bulgaria, June 1989:
*Finals: Defeated Sergey Kravchenko (Soviet Union) by majority decision, 4–1
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...
Cienfuegos, Cuba
Cienfuegos (), capital of Cienfuegos Province, is a city on the southern coast of Cuba. It is located about from Havana and has a population of 178,368 in 2022. Since the late 1960s, Cienfuegos has become one of Cuba's main industrial centers, e ...
Berlin, Germany
Berlin ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the highest population within its city limits of any city in the European Union. The city is also one of the states of ...
, March 1990:
* Defeated Larry Donald (United States) 51–20 (5 rds)
XXIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91 kg),
Manzanillo, Cuba
Manzanillo is a municipality and city in the Granma Province of Cuba. By population, it is the 14th-largest Cuban city and the most populated one not being a provincial seat.
Geography
It is a port city in the Granma Province in eastern Cuba on ...
, May 1990:
*1/8: Defeated Adonis Conti (Cuba) KO 1
*1/4: Lost to Roberto Camilo (Cuba) DQ 2
U.S. Olympic Cup, North America–Europe Duals (+91 kg),
Exhibition Hall
A convention center (American English; or conference centre in British English) is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typica ...
,
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Salt ...
Seattle, Washington
Seattle ( ) is the List of municipalities in Washington, most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the List of Unit ...
, July 1990:
*1/4: Lost to Yevgeniy Belousov (Soviet Union) RSCI 1
TSC Tournament (+91 kg), Berlin, East Germany, October 1990:
*1/2: Defeated Arnold Vanderlyde (Netherlands) 30–27
*Finals: Lost to Maik Heydeck (Germany) 23–26
IV
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...
(+91 kg), Bombay, India, November 1990:
*1/8: Defeated Maik Heydeck (Germany) PTS (5 rds)
*1/4: Defeated Raj Kumar Sangwan (India) PTS (5 rds)
*1/2: Defeated Vernon Linklater (Canada) RET 3
*Finals: Defeated Svilen Rusinov (Bulgaria) 18–12
XXX Playa Girón National Championships (+91 kg), Camagüey, Cuba, January 1991:
*1/16: Defeated Ramon Marino (Cuba) RSC 1
*1/8: Defeated Juan Quesada (Cuba) 25–5
*1/4: Defeated Adonis Conti (Cuba) 35–6
*1/2: Defeated
Alexis Rubalcaba
Alexis Rubalcaba (born September 9, 1972) is a retired boxer from Cuba, who competed in the Super Heavyweight division. He twice represented his native country at the Summer Olympics: in 1996 (where he suffered a shocking loss to Paea Wolfgram ...
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
, February 1991:
* Defeated Vartan Vartanyan (Soviet Union) 45–12 (5 rds)
King's Cup (+91 kg),
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
, April 1991
*Finals: Defeated (no data available)
XXIV Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, June 1991:
*1/4: Defeated Freddy Reguerifero (Cuba) 26–0
*1/2: Defeated Roberto Camilo (Cuba) 18–3
*Finals: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) 6–4
XI Pan American Games (+91 kg),
Havana, Cuba
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Samson Poʻuha (United States) 15–7
*1/2: Defeated Elio Ibarra (Argentina) PTS
*Finals: Defeated Harold Arroyo (Puerto Rico) KO 1
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...
(+91 kg),
Sydney, Australia
Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean ...
, November 1991:
*1/4: Defeated Andreas Schnieders (Germany) RSC 1
*1/2: Defeated Svilen Rusinov (Bulgaria) 21–7
*Finals: Defeated Yevgeniy Belousov (Soviet Union) 20–12
XXXI Playa Girón National Championships (+91 kg), Pinar del Río, Cuba, January 1992:
*1/16: Defeated Adonis Conti (Cuba) 34–7
*1/8: Defeated Osvaldo Castillo (Cuba) 19–0
*1/4: Defeated Luis Lazaro Ulacia (Cuba) 13–2
*1/2: Defeated Armando Campuzano (Cuba) 11–1
*Finals: Not contested Leonardo Martínez Fizz (Cuba)
BOXAM Cup (+91 kg),
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a pop ...
, February 1992:
*1/2: Defeated Tom Glesby (Canada) 9–3
*Finals: Defeated José Ortega (Spain) RSC 2
AIBA World Championships Challenge (+91 kg),
Tampa, Florida
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
, March 1992:
* Lost to Larry Donald (United States) 14–16 (5 rds)
XXV Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91 kg),
Santiago de Cuba, Cuba
Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana.
The municipality extends over , and contains t ...
, May 1992:
*1/8: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) 7–1
*1/4: Defeated
Alexis Rubalcaba
Alexis Rubalcaba (born September 9, 1972) is a retired boxer from Cuba, who competed in the Super Heavyweight division. He twice represented his native country at the Summer Olympics: in 1996 (where he suffered a shocking loss to Paea Wolfgram ...
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a pop ...
Matanzas, Cuba
Matanzas (Cuban ; ) is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas Province, Matanzas. Known for its poets, culture, and Afro-American religions, Afro-Cuban folklore, it is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Mat ...
, January 1993:
*1/8: Defeated Arnaldo Alfonso (Cuba) 24–0
*1/4: Defeated Frank González (Cuba) RSC 1
*1/2: Defeated Luis Lazaro Ulacia (Cuba) 14–5
*Finals: Defeated Roberto Camilo (Cuba) 11–0
AIBA World Championships Challenge (+91 kg),
Istanbul, Turkey
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With a population over , it is home to 18% of the population of Turkey. Istanbul is among the largest cities in Europe and in th ...
, February 1993:
* Defeated Richard Igbineghu (Nigeria) 13–5 (5 rds)
Europe–North America Duals (+91 kg),
Berlin, Germany
Berlin ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the highest population within its city limits of any city in the European Union. The city is also one of the states of ...
, March 1993:
* Defeated Svilen Rusinov (Bulgaria) 6–0
XXVI Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91 kg), Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, May 1993:
*1/4: Defeated Osvaldo Castillo (Cuba) 5–0
*1/2: Defeated Leonardo Enrich (Cuba) 6–0
*Finals: Defeated Armando Camouzano (Cuba) 8–2
VII
World Championships
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game ...
(+91 kg),
Tampere, Finland
Tampere is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Pirkanmaa. It is located in the Finnish Lakeland. The population of Tampere is approximately , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately . It is the most populous mu ...
, June 1993:
*1/8: Defeated Jerry Nijman (Netherlands) 13–1
*1/4: Defeated Joel Scott (United States) 8–0
*1/2: Defeated Oleg Maskaev (Uzbekistan) KO 3
*Finals: Defeated Svilen Rusinov (Bulgaria) 10–1
Cuba–USA Duals (+91 kg),
Mississippi Coast Coliseum
Mississippi Coast Coliseum is an 11,500-seat reserved seating, 15,000 festival seating, multi-purpose arena in Biloxi, Mississippi. It was built in 1977. It hosted the World Championship Wrestling, WCW Beach Blast in 1993 and the Sun Belt Confere ...
,
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, United States. It lies on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast in southern Mississippi, bordering the city of Gulfport, Mississippi, Gulfport to its west. The adjacent cities ar ...
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce ( , , ) is a city and a Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality on the southern coast of Puerto Rico. The most populated city outside the San Juan, Puerto Rico, San Juan metropolitan area, Ponce was founded on August 12, 1692Some publ ...
, November 1993:
*1/4: Defeated Harold Arroyo (Puerto Rico) RSCH 1
*1/2: Defeated Anibal González (Dominican Republic) RSC 1
*Finals: Defeated Rómulo Suárez (Venezuela) RSC 1
XXXIII Playa Girón National Championships (+91 kg), Ciego de Avila, Cuba, January 1994:
*1/8: Defeated Isbey Rodriguez (Cuba) RSC 2
*1/4: Defeated Juan Ortega (Cuba) RET 2
*1/2: Defeated Luis Lazaro Ulacia (Cuba) 8–2
*Finals: Not contested Leonardo Martínez Fizz (Cuba)
AIBA World Championships Challenge (+91 kg),
Dublin, Ireland
Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
Cienfuegos, Cuba
Cienfuegos (), capital of Cienfuegos Province, is a city on the southern coast of Cuba. It is located about from Havana and has a population of 178,368 in 2022. Since the late 1960s, Cienfuegos has become one of Cuba's main industrial centers, e ...
, May 1994:
*1/2: Defeated Raj Kumar Sangwan (India) RET 1
*Finals: Defeated Luis Lazaro Ulacia (Cuba) PTS
VIII
World Cup
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the name is ...
(+91 kg),
Bangkok, Thailand
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
On 2 July 1994, Roberto Balado was driving to train at the headquarters of the Cuban team at the Holveín Quesada National School of Boxing (Escuela Nacional de Boxeo “Holveín Quesada,”) but didn't make it as he died in a crash at a train crossing in