Alcides Sagarra

Dr. Alcides Sagarra Carón (born August 18, 1936) is a Cuban sport official best known for moulding the amateur boxing team into a dominant force during his reign as the coach of the Cuban National Boxing Team (1964–2001) for which he gained an honorary soubriquet "El Maestro" (="The Master").

Career Alcides was born in Santiago de Cuba.

Between 1951 and 1954 he was an active boxer himself but quit due to his asthma. He worked as a mechanic but kept studying at the Sports Institute Manuel Fajardo.

In 1962 he became coach who quickly gained the reputation of being a strict disciplinarian, in 1963 he prepared the boxers of Havanna Province for the national championships. He sought the help of East German professor Kurt Rosentil to develop all kinds of innovative training methods. He was so successful that as early as 1964 he was promoted to national head coach. Also instrumental was Andrey Chervonenko, a Soviet coach sent to share training techniques as a display of Communism solidarity. The first stars of the team were Enrique Regüeiferos (63,5 kilograms), Rolando Garbey (71 kg) and Roberto Caminero (60 kg) Cuba's first PanAm champ 1963.

Cuba medaled at the Olympics for the first time in 1968 (Regüeiferos, Garbey). He helped to develop the skills of amateur superstars like three time Olympic gold medalists Teofilo Stevenson who upset Duane Bobick by KO in 1972 to start heavyweight dominance and Félix Savón.

In 1992 the University of Havana awarded him a scientific title of "Doctor en Ciencias Pedagógicas". 2001 he retired from his post as national coach the post is now occupied by Sarbelio Fuentes.

His record is 32 Olympic Golds, 63 (senior) World championships, 64 junior/cadet World titles.

He also has a minor function in an AIBA commission.

Fighters trained Cuban National Team boxers Name Weight Class Notes Roberto Balado heavyweight Enrique Carrión bantamweight Alfredo Duvergel middleweight Candelario Duvergel welterweight Angel Espinosa middleweight Rolando Garbey light middleweight Julio González lightweight Raúl González flyweight Roberto Guerra welterweight Jorge Gutiérrez middleweight Ariel Hernández middleweight Jorge Hernández flyweight Juan Bautista Hernández Pérez bantamweight Juan Hernández Sierra welterweight Ángel Herrera Vera lightweight Adolfo Horta featherweight Mario Kindelán lightweight Rogelio Marcelo flyweight Armando Martínez middleweight Luis Martínez middleweight Orlando Palacios featherweight Hipólito Ramos light flyweight Enrique Regüeiferos light welterweight Pedro Orlando Reyes flyweight Douglas Rodríguez flyweight Freddy Rojas light heavyweight Ricardo Rojas Frías light heavyweight Maikro Romero flyweight Pablo Romero light heavyweight Félix Savón heavyweight Sixto Soria light heavyweight Teófilo Stevenson heavyweight Eddy Suarez bantamweight Reinaldo Valiente lightweight Héctor Vinent light welterweight

Cuban boxers who later turned pro Name Weight Class Notes Pedro Carrión heavyweight Joel Casamayor featherweight Eliseo Castillo light heavyweight Eliecer Castillo heavyweight Juan Carlos Gómez light heavyweight Jorge Luis González heavyweight Diosbelys Hurtado lightweight Guillermo Rigondeaux bantamweight Alexis Rubalcaba heavyweight Odlanier Solís heavyweight

Other Cuban boxers Name Weight Class Notes Eulalio Puentes Martinez lightweight Name Weight Class Notes Mario Martos Pedroza lightweight "El maestro" is considered the best boxer trainer of all times.