History of Boxing in Cuba

Boxing originally arrived in Cuba as a tourist attraction mainly as championship bouts between North American Boxers during the high tourist season. In 1909 Havana had its first professional fight. In 1910 a Chilean named John Budinich established the first boxing academy in Havana. Two years later government banned boxing due to the violence on the streets between blacks and whites. Boxing matches had to go behind closed doors as it grew popular throughout the island. Despite the banishment of the sport at the time, for the lower classes, boxing constituted a possible ticket out of poverty as well as steady and reliable entertainment.