By Sharon Robb South Florida Sun-Sentinel
July 8, 2009
Angelo Santana risked everything for the two loves of his life, his
childhood sweetheart and pro boxing.
The Cuban national champion fled Cuba two years ago, leaving behind his
parents and two brothers.
Then 19, Santana and 27 others crossed the Florida Straits on a
makeshift flotilla of wood and tire inner tubes.
It took three days of navigating through bad weather and shark sightings
before Santana and his friends set foot on the shores of South Florida
in September 2007.
"I grew up in Cuba watching Don King and Mike Tyson and now I am
fighting for him on his cards," Santana said. "Everything was hard work
and a struggle in Cuba. Working toward freedom probably made me the
fighter I am today."
The Deerfield Beach-based Santana, 21, who trains at Xtreme Boxing in
Hialeah, is part of a stacked 10-bout card including the IBF
bantamweight title fight between defending champion Joseph Agbeko and
Vic Darchinyan on Saturday at BankAtlantic Center.
The Don King card will be aired live on Showtime beginning at 9 p.m. The
undercard begins at 5 p.m.
King was unable to attend Tuesday's open media workout at Punch Fitness
in Deerfield Beach. He attended Tuesday's memorial for longtime friend
Michael Jackson at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Santana (5-0, 4 KOs) is scheduled for a six-round lightweight bout on
the undercard that also features former Davie PAL boxer Francisco Palacios.
"I guess when you are in the water with sharks, boxing and opponents are
nothing in comparison," Santana said through his interpretor and
manager, Armando Fernandez, better known in boxing circles as Manny the
Wiz. Fernandez signed Santana seven days after he arrived.
"I will fight anyone they put in front of me," Santana said.
The Cuban-born Fernandez, whose father and uncle were Cuban national
champions, added Santana to his talented stable of boxers. Santana is
trained by former Olympic and national team coach Jorge Rubio, who
defected from Cuba in 1997 in Mexico.
Santana was reunited with his childhood sweetheart, Anay, 18, and plans
to marry her once he is well-established in boxing. He hopes to bring
his father Pedro, a minister, and mother Felicia to the United States in
the near future.
It was his father who started him in boxing at age 9. He was 180-3 as an
amateur, won seven region and two national titles in Cuba. He was not
allowed to travel because his uncles and cousins had defected. When his
girlfriend and her family left Cuba legally, Santana decided to defect.
"I knew then I wanted to follow her here," said Santana, who lives with
Anay and her family.
Santana made a successful pro debut at Madison Square Garden with a
first-round knockout. Since then, he has fought in Missouri, Miami and
was on the St. Valentine's Day Massacre card at BankAtlantic Center in
February.
"One minute, I am a 19-year-old kid in Cuba and then I am fighting with
my heroes on a big fight card in New York City," Santana said. "I was
overwhelmed fighting at Madison Square Garden. That is every boxer's
dream, that and fulfilling my destiny as a world champion."
Sharon Robb can be reached at srobb@SunSentinel.com
Cuban defector risks all for love and boxing career - South Florida
Sun-Sentinel.com (8 July 2009)
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/other/sfl-boxing-cuba-santana-s070809sbjul08,0,4522209.story
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