Andy Granda of Cuba achieved a sensational victory and world title for his land, the first since 2013. Granda came to Tashkent to win a medal, not to show off but to peak for his best moment in his career. He defeated Japanese talent Tatsuru Saito, son of the legend Hitoshi Saito.
Saito is a 20-year-old heavyweight, weighing 160kg and he is the one chosen by Japan to reconquer an Olympic title that has eluded the country since 2008, when Satoshi Ishii owned it.
He is mobile and has a refined technique and there was a lot of interest but in the final he was simply eliminated by Granda who showed a higher pace from the start and Saito couldn’t get the grip that he wanted and stranded with three shidos looking clueless to take the victory in a match that should have been a warm up for bigger rivals. Today Granda was the big man though.
The Cuban had prepared the final very well and did not let Saito find the desired grip. It was visible that the Japanese was uncomfortable and did not know how to gain control of the fight. Granda caused a second shido for Saito, feeding the hope of a Cuban gold in the most desired category. Granda launched three attacks in a row in the face of Saito’s passivity, and that cost him defeat.
He is very talented but he also has a lot to learn. As for Granda, his ending was a gem, an example of intelligence, and his title deserved because he had to fight against the best and beat them all. He became only the third Cuban man in history to win the world championships and the first heavyweight.
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