Defecting Cuban boxers arrive in Miami

Defecting Cuban boxers arrive in Miami
Posted 3/2/2007 3:08 PM ET

MIAMI (AP) — Three Cuban boxers who defected in South America in
December arrived in Miami for a brief stay before heading to Germany,
where they plan to establish residency.

Yan Barthelemy, Yuriorkis Gamboa and Odlanier Solis received visas
Thursday to leave Colombia after a delay of more than a week, and they
quickly boarded a flight to Miami. Accompanied by their Miami-based
manager and attorney, Tony Gonzalez, the boxers were met by a dozen fans
at Miami International Airport after clearing customs.

"We dreamed of being here, getting to know our friends, and beginning
our professional careers," Barthelemy said. "It was very difficult to
leave loved ones behind, but it was a decision we had to make."

The boxers have signed contracts with German promoters.

"At one time I never thought I would fight professionally, but my life
started changing, and here I am," Solis said.

Barthelemy and Solis, both 26, and Gamboa, 25, won 2004 Olympic gold
medals and were favorites in their weight classes to repeat in the 2008
Games in Beijing. They left the Cuban boxing team while training in
Venezuela and crossed the border to Colombia, where they lived for more
than two months.

The three attempted to leave Colombia last week and make their
professional debuts at a show in Miami on Feb. 23, but were denied
travel visas by the U.S. embassy in Colombia, Gonzalez said.

"These past two months felt like two years," Gamboa said. "But
thankfully we are here, and we now look forward to starting our new
careers and fulfilling goals as professional fighters."

The fighters still want to make their professional debuts in Miami,
Gonzalez said.

"Something that we agreed upon (with promoters) is that their debuts
should be here," he said.

Each of the fighters has signed a seven-figure, three-year contract with
Hamburg-based First Artist and Arena with an option for two more years,
not counting purses, Gonzalez said.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/boxing/2007-03-02-defecting-cubans_x.htm?csp=34