"What is a million dollars compared to the love of eight million Cubans?" asked Teófilo Stevenson, Cuban heavyweight and three-time Olympic gold medallist who turned down the chance to fight Muhammad Ali.

I was excited when I found out the casa I had booked was owned by Drobles, an 110m hurdles Olympic gold medallist. This discovery naturally had me researching the sports culture in Cuba and the two at the top of the list were Baseball and Boxing. As the baseball 2015/16 season was over, I turned my attention to boxing, a sport that I know a thing or two about even though I don’t often watch.

Rafael Trejo Boxing Gym is the oldest boxing gym in Havana, having been named after the revolutionary hero, Rafael Trejo who was murdered in 1930.

The first day I went I was early for training but met the pleasant Hector Vinent Charon, double Olympic and world champion. He told us training starts 5 pm and so 2 weeks later I return shortly after 5 pm to a warm welcome by Alberto Gonzalez Caturla. Alberto spoke good English as he had spent some time living and training in Newcastle, he told me he has been training young boys for over 19 years. With a timer in one hand and an eye on the boys fighting, we spoke about Cuba, boxing, the derelict gym, England and finally exchanged contact details. I noticed an older kid in yellow who served as the referee. Turns out he is Albert, Alberto son who is being trained to represent Cuba in Tokyo 2020. After the kids were done with their training, Albert got changed for his, but first, he had to put some 3 tourists who had signed up for boxing classes through warm up and sparring drill before he father took over.

It is said that every great Cuban fighter (including Teófilo Stevenson and Félix Savón), has at one stage in the career, trained at this gym. And so this serves as inspiration for the young boys who go there every evening to train, some as young as 7 years old, and non-Cubans who sign up for training with Alberto or Hector.

The gym is tucked away across from the Iglesia de la Merced church on Calle Cuba in Old Havana. If you wish to visit or get trained by Alberto or Hector, drop me a message and I'll send their contact details.

xxx