Venezuelan boxing was crowned by sweeping six golds at the Bolivarian Games Peru 2025

Published at: 04/12/2025 11:05 PM

The national boxing team won six gold medals, one silver and two bronze medals at the Lima-Ayacucho 2025 Bolivarian Games and won the title of champion in the discipline with eight metals, regaining the place of honor after 20 years.

The tricolor flag hasn't flown at the top of the Bolivarian podium since the 2005 Armenia-Pereira match in Colombia, where they won five gold medals. After two decades, they managed to exceed the figure.

In addition, Venezuelan boxing increased its harvest significantly compared to Valledupar 2024, when it won only one gold medal, awarded to Christian Palacios in welter (63-69 kg), in addition to three silvers and five bronzes for a total of nine medals. On that occasion, the Venezuelan team was third, behind Colombia (7-3-1, 11) and the Dominican Republic (3-2-2, 7).

“For us it's too satisfying, since we made a necessary sacrifice to be able to obtain the resource. In the last Bolivarian event we had only one gold medal and after that, in all this preparation, the absolute championship in boxing this year was proposed to us,” said Edgar Muñoz, president of the Venezuelan Boxing Federation.

The federative recalled that the boxing delegation had a 40-day preparation in Bogotá, Colombia, where they held meetings with the different countries that participated here, which made it possible to achieve this superlative performance in the Bolivarians.

“Now we are confident that we have the material to obtain Olympic medals,” said the former champion of the ensogados.

The first gold came thanks to Diana Maestre in the 54 kilograms bantamweight, after beating the representative of Colombia, Kely Benítez, by unanimous decision (5-0). The Venezuelan showed a solid defense that allowed her to get on the podium.

“I had already had a fight with her in preparation, I knew how to work it, I had studied it, I knew what the blows were going to take effect and that's what gave me the victory,” said the new Bolivarian champion.

The golden harvest was continued by Omailyn Alcalá in the 57 kg, featherweight, when she won by arbitration decision (RSC) against the Paraguayan Minerva Montiel.

“In this competition, thanks to my performance and my position in the ranking, I went straight to the final, since we had three athletes in this category. He had previously won the first medal for Venezuela in a world championship. I have participated in two Bolivarian Games before, where I won the silver medal, but the third one is the one won, and here is the test,” said Alcalá.

Krisandy Ríos in the 60 kg lightweight division also knocked down Dominican Katherine Bera by CSR. Irismar Cardozo (51 kg flyweight) also did his thing against Peruvian Ana Baylón by winning for RSC.

For the men's category, Andrés Cova (55 kg, rooster category) increased his medal pool by beating the Guatemalan José Felipe by arbitration decision.

And to close the rain of first places, the Olympian in Paris 2024, Jesús Cova (65 kg, super lightweight), demonstrated his experience in the ring by keeping the fight for an edge against Colombian José Viáfara, one of the strongest rivals faced by the national team.

“I am proud that we have great management. This was a great job for the entire technical board. We have psychologists, doctors, physical trainers, and we are truly empowered. Thanks to Minister Franklin Cardillo and also to our president Nicolás Maduro Moros, because he is supporting sports and they are bearing fruit,” said Jesús Cova.

The silver medal went to Lisandro Tejada (70 kg, superwelterweight) after receiving a CSR from José Rodríguez from Ecuador, after suffering a reopening of his left superciliary wound during the final match, an injury he had since the semifinal against Colombian Juan Franco.

Finally, the bronzes went to Génesis Palma (65 kg, welterweight), who yielded in his semifinal match by referee decision to Camila Camilo from Colombia, and to Diego Pereyra in the 80 kg light heavyweight, after falling 3-2 against Ecuadorian Mina Gustiniano during the penultimate round.

With this triumph, Venezuelan boxing is taking a firm step towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and has a promising future on a global scale.

Mazo News Team