IBF cruiserweight champion Yuniel Dorticos (24-1, 22 KOs) is a very patient man.
Dorticos saw two fight dates, March 21 and May 16, get canceled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
He was scheduled to face Mairis Briedis, in Riga, in the final bout of the World Boxing Super Series cruiserweight tournament. Their fight was initially targeted for December of last year.
Because of the delays, Dorticos has been out of the ring since June of last year, when he knocked out Andrew Tabiti.
Dorticos is looking to redeem himself by winning the entire tourney, after being knocked out by Murat Gassiev in the semi-finals of the the first WBSS cruiserweight tournament in February of 2018.
“[Regarding his mind and spirit], Dorticós is strong in those two aspects,” said Pedro Roque, coach of the Cuban champion, to George Ebro. “I talk to him every day and I know he is looking forward to what might happen. He remains focused on winning the Ali trophy and reaffirming himself as the best cruiserweight in the world.”
Roque knows that, beyond Dorticós’ disposition, a strong job is necessary to recover the sporting peak that his ward exhibited in mid-March, before the coronavirus placed obstacles in the way and drove boxers and trainers away from gyms.
“You have to work hard, because there have already been nine weeks of the pandemic,” added Roque. “Dorticos was in spectacular form, but it is logical that [his form] has come down with all of this. Still, it will take at least six to eight weeks to get back to the physical peak that one requires for a fight of this importance.
“I have known Dorticos since he was a little boy and I know how strong he is. This has been a bad moment that has affected us all equally, but it will pass. I’m going to make sure nothing takes us by surprise. When they give us the order to start, we will return to work with the same force as before.”