HANGZHOU – Remember Raul Liranza, the Cuban coach who manned the corner of Mansueto ‘Onyok’ Velasco in the 1996 Barcelona Olympics where the Filipino won a silver medal?
Liranza has since moved to China and acts as head coach of its national boxing team.
Under his stewardship, the 19th Asian Games hosts emerged as the overall champion in the ring, winning a total of five gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.
READ: Eumir Marcial loses to China boxer in Asiad final
One of those golds was won by Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan, who defeated our very own Eumir Felix Marcial in the final of the men’s 80kg class.
The 26-year-old Tanglatihan became the first Chinese male boxer to win the gold since Zhang Zhilei ruled the super-heavyweight class in the 2010 Asiad in Guangzhou.
Yet despite now working and coaching for another Asian country, Liranza admitted still holding the Philippines dear to his heart.
He described Filipino boxers as having ‘big puso.’
Former Philippine national coach
“My congratulations to the Philippine team. I know Philippine boxing,” the former Philippine national coach said as the boxing competitions came to a close.
The Cuban coach of course, still remember well two of his prized Filipino fighters in brothers Onyok and Roel Velasco.
“They’re very good boxers,” he said.
Roel bagged the bronze medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, while Velasco came close to winning the country’s breakthrough gold in the Olympiad four years after, but lost by decision to Bulgarian Daniel Bojilov to settle for the silver in the light-flyweight class.
Liranza said he inked a three-year contract as coach of China, which will last until after the 2024 Paris Olympics.
He added after the Paris Games, he’ll be going to the Philippines for a vacation.
And this early, he’s already trying to re-acquaint himself to the Filipino language.
“Mabuhay, Pilipinas,” said Liranza.
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