So as we enter the Yordenis Ugas vs. Errol Spence Jr., pay-per-view fight week, I thought it might be interesting to visit what Cuban boxers are the best of all-time.

It is important to know the trope of Cuban boxing, the small island that produces gold medal Olympians, year after year, but often as a pro, it is a Cuban boxer, who takes a marquee loss to a major fighter for that fighter to be viewed as credible. Whether it is Erislandy Lara losing to Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford stopping Yuriorkis Gamboa, or even, Jose Napoles getting stopped by Carlos Monzon. Cuba is the land of great boxers, who turn pro far too late, often, and never get the most out of their skills as pros.

Another big issue, due to the political climate in America, Cubans can’t travel to watch Cuban fighters in America, and beyond that, Cuban-Americans often don’t feel pride a kinship to fellow Cubans. So, in short, they have a small fanbase of purist boxing fans. More so, boxing is business and the money is important and without a loyal fanbase fans

01) Jose Napoles

Accomplishment: Napoles holds the distinction of being the best Cuban boxer, as the welterweight, nicknamed butter, was about as smooth as a knife going through butter when he was in the ring. An all-time great

Title Wins: Curtis Cokes (WBA & WBC 147 lbs), and Billy Backus (WBA & WBC 147 lbs).

Criticism: The downfall of a lot of Cuban fighters, despite a ton of talent, Napoles had a carefree attitude, and infamously hated training. Napoles is great, but imagine if he pushed himself to the limit…

02) Kid Gavilan

Accomplishment: You might not know his name, but he invented the “Bolo Punch”, the same punch Ray Leonard used against Roberto Duran in the second fight to get Roberto Duran to say “No Mas”. Gavilan was not just a great fighter, he was an innovator.

Title Wins: Johnny Bratton (one belt)

Criticism: Hard to compare to modern fighters

03) Kid Chocolate

Accomplishments: Kid Chocolate might just be the most beloved Cuban boxer ever. Once fighting 25 times in one year, as well undefeated as an amateur in Cuba with something like a hundred wins and most of them by knockout. Kid Chocolate was ahead of his time, and is one of the greatest ever. On records alone, Kid Chocolate is the most decorated and celebrated Cuban fighter of all-time.

Title Wins: Benny Bass (130 lbs world champion in the one belt era).

Criticism: Hard to compare him to fighters from the modern era.

04) Erislandy Lara

Accomplishment: The most financially successful Cuban boxer ever, who become a household name after fighting Canelo Alvarez, and a major factor in his division being a trusted main event for a decade straight. Lara is known for power in his left hand from a southpaw stance, fast hands, and only throwing seemingly straight punches, as well as moving a lot.

Title Wins: Austin Trout (WBA 154 lbs.), Ramon Alvarez (WBA 154 lbs.)

Criticism: Lara loved to move, and at times, like the Canelo fight, you could say the fact that he moved so much, it was excessive, and that probably cost him in his fights that he lost.

05) Guillermo Rigondeaux

Accomplishment: In terms of talent, Rigondeaux is probably the best, but his career was plagued by bad contracts, HBO wanting nothing to do with televising his fights, Top Rank Inc. Even then Rigondeaux put forth a hall-of-fame career, that was summed up with his amazing win over Nonito Donaire. Sadly, recently Rigondeaux suffered an eye injury cooking food and will never box again.

Title Wins: Rico Ramos (WBA 122 lbs), Nonito Donaire (WBO 122 lbs.), 2x Olympic Gold Medalist

Rigondeuax has a record of 10-2, 6 KOs in world title fights

Criticism: What could have been… Turned pro later in his career, never found his true feel in the pros, and ended up taking a loss to Lomachenko at a weight class, 130 lbs., he shouldn’t have been at.

06) Yordenis Ugas

Accomplishment: Ugas holds the biggest win in Cuban boxing professional history with a win over Manny Pacquiao, and even though Pacquiao was in his 40s, that is still a big achievement, because up until this point, Cuban boxers would lose in the big fight. Ugas won. Despite 4 losses on his record taking a fight a few weeks notice to fight Manny Pacquiao and win makes him high on the list.

Title Wins: Manny Pacquiao (WBA 147 lbs)

Criticism: Awkward, at times hard to watch. Ugas has great timing, but doesn’t wow you in any way with any natural gifts as a fighter. Ugas is smart, and more so knows how to frustrate and minimize the output of his opponent causing very close fights.

07) Felix Savon

Accomplishments: Savon won a gold medal in three straight Olympic Games from 1992 all the way until 2000. Savon is widely considered one of the greatest amateur boxers ever and beat Ray Mercer, Michael Bentt, Shannon Briggs, and more.

Titles Won: 3x Olympic Gold Medalist

Criticism: Never turned pro

08) Joel Casamayor

Accomplishment: Casamayor silently put together a great career, as he was smooth, but dirty in the ring, and not your traditional Cuban as he was looking for the fight more than he was trying to score points. Casamayor might have another distinction as well, the most underrated Cuban boxer.

Title Wins: Jong-Kwon Baek (WBA 130 lbs.), and Diego Corrales (WBC 135 lbs).

Criticism: Whether politics or his style, he had trouble getting the wins on a couple of close fights that could have secured him as a no-doubt hall-of-famer, he is still in my eyes, though.

09) Teofilo Stevenson

Accomplishment: Greatest Olympic boxer of all-time, who won three-Olympic gold medals, and is the golden standard for all Cuban boxers who fight in the Olympics.

Title Wins: 3x Olympic Gold Medalist.

Criticism: Wish we could have seen him as a pro.

10) Sugar Ramos

Accomplishment: Two-time featherweight world champion who was a solid puncher, but known for being tricky, and a stern test.

Title Wins: Davey Moore (WBA 126 lbs.), and Davey Moore (WBC 126 lbs.)

Criticism: Lost to the legend of his era.

Honorable Mentions:

Florentino Fernandez, Jose Legra, Benny Paret,  Kid Tunero, Arlen Lopez.