View source for Roberto Balado

{{Short description|Cuban boxer (1969–1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{family name hatnote|Balado|Mendez|lang=Spanish}}

{{Infobox boxer (amateur)|
| name=Roberto Balado
| image= Roberto Balado(cropped).jpg
| caption = Balado in 1990
| fullname = Roberto Balado Mendez 
| nicknames = 
| nationality = {{CUB}}
| weight class = [[Super Heavyweight]] 
| club = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1969|2|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Jovellanos]], [[Matanzas Province]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1994|7|2|1969|2|15|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Havana]], [[Ciudad de la Habana]]
| height = {{convert|1.83|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|100|kg|lb|0}}
| show-medals    = no
| medaltemplates=
{{MedalCount
|[[Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]|1|0|0
|[[AIBA World Boxing Championships|World Championships]]|3|0|0
|[[AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships|Youth World Championships]]|1|0|0
|[[Boxing World Cup|World Cup]]|2|0|0
|[[Pan American Games]]|1|0|0 
|[[Central American and Caribbean Games]]|1|0|0
|Central America and Caribbean Championships|1|0|0
|'''Total'''|'''10'''|'''0'''|'''0'''
}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona]]|[[Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Super heavyweight|Super Heavyweight]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[World Amateur Boxing Championships|World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships|1989 Moscow]] | Super Heavyweight}}
{{MedalGold| [[1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships|1991 Sydney]] | Super Heavyweight}}
{{MedalGold| [[1993 World Amateur Boxing Championships|1993 Tampere]] | Super Heavyweight}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships|Youth World Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold| 1987 Havana | Heavyweight}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Boxing World Cup|World Cup]]}}
{{MedalGold| 1990 Bombay | Super Heavyweight}}
{{MedalGold| 1994 Bangkok | Super Heavyweight}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1991 Pan American Games|1991 Havana]] | Super Heavyweight}} 
{{MedalCompetition|[[Central American and Caribbean Games]]}}
{{MedalGold| [[1993 Central American and Caribbean Games|1993 Ponce]] | [[Boxing at the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games|Super Heavyweight]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|Central America and Caribbean Championships}}
{{MedalGold| 1987 San José | Heavyweight}}
}}

'''Roberto Balado Méndez''' (15 February 1969 &ndash; 2 July 1994) was a Cuban [[amateur boxer]], who competed from [[boxing in the 1980s|1986]] to [[boxing in the 1990s|1994]]. At the [[1992 Summer Olympics]] he won a [[Olympic medalists in boxing|Gold medal]] in the men's super heavyweight (+91&nbsp;kg).

A natural heavyweight, he was [[Olympic Games|Olympic]] [[champion]] ([[Barcelona]] 1992), three times [[world champion]] ([[Moscow]] 1989, [[Sydney]] 1991, and [[Tampere]] 1993), and five times [[Cuba]]n national champion. He was also the winner of the [[Val Barker Trophy]] for Outstanding Boxer at the 1992 [[Summer Olympic Games|Olympic]] Games.

Balado was at his prime, looking forward to win many forthcoming events, considered by some boxing experts to be the world's second-best fighter after [[Félix Savón]] (who competed one weight division below),<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20180927173400/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/363561/CUBAN-AMATEUR-BOXING-STAR-KILLED-IN-ACCIDENT.html CUBAN AMATEUR BOXING STAR KILLED IN ACCIDENT] Deseret News.</ref> and being one of the favourites of the [[Boxing at the 1995 Pan American Games|1995 Pan American Games]] and [[Boxing at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Super heavyweight|1996 Olympics]], but died in a car accident.

At the time of his death, age 25, he had 250 fights, with a record of 238 victories, and 12 losses.

== Early years ==
Balado was born in Jovellanos, Matanzas, on 15 February 1969. Before his first birthday, the family came to live in [[Old Havana]] and shortly thereafter they moved to the El Palenque neighborhood ([[La Lisa]]), next to the La Lisa bridge.

He was 14 when he took up boxing, and soon participated in the National School Games.

== Career ==
In 1984, Cuba's long-time Olympic heavyweight [[Teófilo Stevenson]], although retaining physical strength and staying in shape, and even aspiring to win the fourth gold medal in the 1984 Olympic Games (which Cuba ultimately boycotted,) already needed to pass the torch and find a suitable alternate for the Cuban National Boxing Team.

Raúl Fernández's promotional transfer to the Orbeín Quesada training center, headquarters of the National Athletic Selection, played a decisive role in the formation and subsequent consecration of Balado.

Regarding the Balado's ascent to the national team, [[Alcides Sagarra]] pointed out: "Raúl spoke with me of the boy and without any hesitation I agreed to get him trained in the 'Finca.' He began to show progress and very soon his was something more than just learning. He was always willing to help in the sparrings, and he didn't care about the name of the opponent in front of him."

Cuban sport officials questioned the decision to include Balado as the Cuban representative in the superheavyweight class to compete at the 1989 World Championships in Moscow, but he proved the critics wrong and won the event.

== Highlights ==
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-3}}
{{silver2}} XXV [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (91&nbsp;kg), [[San Jose de las Lajas, Cuba]], January 1986:
*1/8: Defeated Ambrosio Moro (Cuba) RSCH 2
*1/4: Defeated Wilder Cervantes (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*1/2: Defeated Francisco Bouly (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Lost to [[Félix Savón]] (Cuba) KO 2
{{gold1}} Golden Belt Tournament (91&nbsp;kg), [[Bucharest, Romania]], 1986:
*Finals: Defeated [[Svilen Rusinov]] (Bulgaria)
{{gold1}} XXII Friendship Games (+81&nbsp;kg), [[Szolnok]], [[Hungary]], August 1986:
*Finals: Defeated Tigran Terterian (Soviet Union) RSC 1
{{silver2}} XXVI [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (91&nbsp;kg), [[Holguín, Cuba]], January 1987:
*1/16: Defeated Alberto Almeida (Cuba) RSCH 1
*1/8: Defeated Reinaldo Dreke (Cuba) RSC 1
*1/4: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*1/2: Defeated Victor Ispuria (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Lost to [[Félix Savón]] (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 0–5
Gee-Bee Tournament (91&nbsp;kg), [[Helsinki, Finland]], April 1987:
* Defeated Georgy Likov (Bulgaria) by decision
* Defeated [[Gytis Juškevičius]] (Soviet Union) KO 3
* Lost to Yevgeniy Sudakov (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 0–5
{{gold1}} Intercup (91&nbsp;kg), [[Hemsbach]], [[West Germany]], April 1987:
*1/2: Defeated Wiesław Dyła (Poland) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Defeated Fred Kaddu (Uganda) by unanimous decision, 5–0
{{gold1}} Golden Belt Tournament (91&nbsp;kg), [[Bucharest, Romania]], 1987:
*Finals: Defeated Petr Bornescu (Romania) by decision
{{gold1}} IV [[AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships|Youth World Championships]] (91&nbsp;kg), [[Havana, Cuba]], June 1987:
*1/4: Defeated Frank Beckström (East Germany) RSC 1
*1/2: Defeated Peter Stettinger (West Germany) RSC 3
*Finals: Defeated Vyacheslav Sedov (Soviet Union) RSC 3
{{gold1}} Simón Bolivar Cup (+81&nbsp;kg), [[Caracas, Venezuela]], September 1987:
*Finals: Defeated A. Golotyan (Soviet Union) by unanimous decision, 5–0
{{gold1}} XVIII Central America and the Caribbean Championships (91&nbsp;kg), [[San José, Costa Rica]], November 1987:
*Finals: Defeated Emilio Payne (Costa Rica) RSC 2
{{silver2}} XXVII [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (91&nbsp;kg), [[Sancti Spiritus, Cuba]], January 1988:
*1/8: Defeated Pedro Montalvo (Cuba) by majority decision, 4–1
*1/4: Defeated Daniel Alonso Zamora (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*1/2: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) by split decision, 3–2
*Finals: Lost to [[Félix Savón]] (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 0–5
{{silver2}} XXXIX [[Strandzha Cup]] (91&nbsp;kg), [[Sofia, Bulgaria]], February 1988:
*1/2: Defeated [[Svilen Rusinov]] (Bulgaria) by majority decision, 4–1
*Finals: Lost to [[Andrzej Golota]] (Poland) by split decision, 2–3
{{silver2}} XXVIII [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (91&nbsp;kg), [[Guantánamo, Cuba]], January 1989:
*1/16: Defeated Jose Sayu (Cuba) RSC 2
*1/8: Defeated Pedro Montalvo (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*1/4: Defeated Raul Gonzalez (Cuba) RET 2
*1/2: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 5–0
*Finals: Lost to [[Félix Savón]] (Cuba) by unanimous decision, 0–5
{{gold1}} XXII [[Giraldo Cordova Cardin International Boxing Tournament|Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Pinar del Río, Cuba]], June 1989:
*1/4: Defeated Sergey Kravchenko (Soviet Union) by decision
*1/2: Defeated Roberto Camilo (Cuba) by decision
*Finals: Defeated Armando Camouzano (Cuba) by decision
{{gold1}} VII Military Spartakiad of the Friendly Armies of the Socialist Countries (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Sliven, Bulgaria]], June 1989:
*Finals: Defeated Sergey Kravchenko (Soviet Union) by majority decision, 4–1
{{Col-3}}
{{gold1}} [[1989 World Amateur Boxing Championships|World Championships]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Moscow, Soviet Union]], September 1989:
*1/4: Defeated [[Svilen Rusinov]] (Bulgaria) 23–6
*1/2: Defeated [[Maik Heydeck]] (West Germany) 20–2
*Finals: Defeated [[Aleksandr Miroshnichenko]] (Soviet Union) 18–9 {{small|(Balado knocked down at 1:30 of the 3rd rd)}}
{{gold1}} XXIX [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Cienfuegos, Cuba]], January 1990:
*1/8: Defeated Livan Álvarez (Cuba) 33–7
*1/4: Defeated Osvaldo Castillo (Cuba) RSC 3
*1/2: Defeated Fidel César (Cuba) PTS
*Finals: Defeated Armando Camouzano (Cuba) 61–23
AIBA World Championships Challenge (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Berlin, Germany]], March 1990:
* Defeated [[Larry Donald]] (United States) 51–20 (5 rds)
XXIII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Manzanillo, Cuba]], May 1990:
*1/8: Defeated Adonis Conti (Cuba) KO 1
*1/4: Lost to Roberto Camilo (Cuba) DQ 2
U.S. Olympic Cup, North America–Europe Duals (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Salt Palace Convention Center|Exhibition Hall]], [[Salt Lake City, Utah]], June 1990:
* Defeated [[Bert Teuchert]] (Germany) by unanimous decision, 3–0 (5 rds)
[[1990 Goodwill Games|II Goodwill Games]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Seattle, Washington]], July 1990:
*1/4: Lost to Yevgeniy Belousov (Soviet Union) RSCI 1 {{small|(Balado badly cut in the corner of right eye leading the referee to stop the bout)}}
{{silver2}} TSC Tournament (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Berlin, East Germany]], October 1990:
*1/2: Defeated [[Arnold Vanderlyde]] (Netherlands) 30–27
*Finals: Lost to [[Maik Heydeck]] (Germany) 23–26
{{gold1}} IV [[Boxing World Cup|World Cup]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Bombay, India]], November 1990:
*1/8: Defeated [[Maik Heydeck]] (Germany) PTS (5 rds)
*1/4: Defeated Raj Kumar Sangwan (India) PTS (5 rds)
*1/2: Defeated Vernon Linklater (Canada) RET 3
*Finals: Defeated [[Svilen Rusinov]] (Bulgaria) 18–12
{{gold1}} XXX [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Camagüey, Cuba]], January 1991:
*1/16: Defeated Ramon Marino (Cuba) RSC 1
*1/8: Defeated Juan Quesada (Cuba) 25–5
*1/4: Defeated Adonis Conti (Cuba) 35–6
*1/2: Defeated [[Alexis Rubalcaba]] (Cuba) 14–5
*Finals: Defeated Armando Camouzano (Cuba) 16–9
AIBA World Championships Challenge (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Bangkok, Thailand]], February 1991:
* Defeated Vartan Vartanyan (Soviet Union) 45–12 (5 rds)
{{gold1}} King's Cup (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Bangkok, Thailand]], April 1991
*Finals: Defeated (no data available)
{{gold1}} XXIV Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Sancti Spiritus, Cuba]], June 1991:
*1/4: Defeated Freddy Reguerifero (Cuba) 26–0
*1/2: Defeated Roberto Camilo (Cuba) 18–3
*Finals: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) 6–4
{{gold1}} [[Boxing at the 1991 Pan American Games|XI Pan American Games]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Havana, Cuba]], August 1991:
*1/4: Defeated [[Samson Poʻuha]] (United States) 15–7
*1/2: Defeated [[Elio Ibarra]] (Argentina) PTS
*Finals: Defeated [[Harold Arroyo]] (Puerto Rico) KO 1 {{small|(1:39)}}
{{gold1}} [[1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships|World Championships]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Sydney, Australia]], November 1991:
*1/4: Defeated [[Andreas Schnieders]] (Germany) RSC 1
*1/2: Defeated [[Svilen Rusinov]] (Bulgaria) 21–7
*Finals: Defeated Yevgeniy Belousov (Soviet Union) 20–12
XXXI [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Pinar del Río, Cuba]], January 1992:
*1/16: Defeated Adonis Conti (Cuba) 34–7
*1/8: Defeated Osvaldo Castillo (Cuba) 19–0
*1/4: Defeated Luis Lazaro Ulacia (Cuba) 13–2
*1/2: Defeated Armando Campuzano (Cuba) 11–1
*Finals: Not contested Leonardo Martínez Fizz (Cuba)
{{Col-3}}
{{gold1}} BOXAM Cup (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Barcelona, Spain]], February 1992:
*1/2: Defeated [[Tom Glesby]] (Canada) 9–3
*Finals: Defeated [[José Ortega (boxer)|José Ortega]] (Spain) RSC 2
AIBA World Championships Challenge (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Tampa, Florida]], March 1992:
* Lost to [[Larry Donald]] (United States) 14–16 (5 rds)
{{gold1}} XXV Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Santiago de Cuba, Cuba]], May 1992:
*1/8: Defeated Juan Cause Delis (Cuba) 7–1
*1/4: Defeated [[Alexis Rubalcaba]] (Cuba) 8–2
*1/2: Defeated Adonis Conti (Cuba) 23–11
*Finals: Defeated Osvaldo Castillo (Cuba) 21–4
{{gold1}} [[Boxing at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Heavyweight|XXV Summer Olympics]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Barcelona, Spain]], July 1992:
*1/16: Defeated [[Tom Glesby]] (Canada) 16–2
*1/4: Defeated [[Larry Donald]] (United States) 10–4
*1/2: Defeated [[Brian Nielsen (boxer)|Brian Nielsen]] (Denmark) 15–1
*Finals: Defeated [[Richard Igbineghu]] (Nigeria) 13–2 {{small|(won the Outstanding Boxer trophy)}}
{{gold1}} XXXII [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Matanzas, Cuba]], January 1993:
*1/8: Defeated Arnaldo Alfonso (Cuba) 24–0
*1/4: Defeated Frank González (Cuba) RSC 1 {{small|(1:44)}}
*1/2: Defeated Luis Lazaro Ulacia (Cuba) 14–5
*Finals: Defeated Roberto Camilo (Cuba) 11–0
AIBA World Championships Challenge (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Istanbul, Turkey]], February 1993:
* Defeated [[Richard Igbineghu]] (Nigeria) 13–5 (5 rds)
Europe–North America Duals (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Berlin, Germany]], March 1993:
* Defeated [[Svilen Rusinov]] (Bulgaria) 6–0
{{gold1}} XXVI Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Sancti Spiritus, Cuba]], May 1993:
*1/4: Defeated Osvaldo Castillo (Cuba) 5–0
*1/2: Defeated Leonardo Enrich (Cuba) 6–0
*Finals: Defeated Armando Camouzano (Cuba) 8–2
{{gold1}} VII [[1993 World Amateur Boxing Championships|World Championships]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Tampere, Finland]], June 1993:
*1/8: Defeated [[Jerry Nijman]] (Netherlands) 13–1
*1/4: Defeated [[Jo el Scott|Joel Scott]] (United States) 8–0
*1/2: Defeated [[Oleg Maskaev]] (Uzbekistan) KO 3
*Finals: Defeated [[Svilen Rusinov]] (Bulgaria) 10–1
Cuba–USA Duals (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Mississippi Coast Coliseum]], [[Biloxi, Mississippi]], September 1993:
* Defeated Ed Mahone (United States) by unanimous decision, 5–0
{{gold1}} [[Boxing at the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games|XVII Central American and Caribbean Games]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Ponce, Puerto Rico]], November 1993:
*1/4: Defeated [[Harold Arroyo]] (Puerto Rico) RSCH 1
*1/2: Defeated Anibal González (Dominican Republic) RSC 1
*Finals: Defeated Rómulo Suárez (Venezuela) RSC 1
XXXIII [[Campeonato Nacional de Boxeo Playa Girón|Playa Girón National Championships]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Ciego de Avila, Cuba]], January 1994:
*1/8: Defeated Isbey Rodriguez (Cuba) RSC 2
*1/4: Defeated Juan Ortega (Cuba) RET 2
*1/2: Defeated Luis Lazaro Ulacia (Cuba) 8–2
*Finals: Not contested Leonardo Martínez Fizz (Cuba)
AIBA World Championships Challenge (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Dublin, Ireland]], March 1994:
* Defeated Yevgeniy Belousov (Russia) by split decision, 3–2 (5 rds)
{{gold1}} XXVII Giraldo Córdova Cardín Tournament (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Cienfuegos, Cuba]], May 1994:
*1/2: Defeated Raj Kumar Sangwan (India) RET 1
*Finals: Defeated Luis Lazaro Ulacia (Cuba) PTS
{{gold1}} VIII [[Boxing World Cup|World Cup]] (+91&nbsp;kg), [[Bangkok, Thailand]], June 1994:
*1/8: Defeated [[Christophe Mendy]] (France) 24–4 (5 rds)
*1/4: Defeated [[Mikhail Yurchenko]] (Kazakhstan) 18–10 (5 rds)
*1/2: Defeated [[Svilen Rusinov]] (Bulgaria) 13–6 (5 rds)
*Finals: Defeated [[Oleg Maskaev]] (Uzbekistan) by walkover
{{Col-end}}

==Death==
On 2 July 1994, Roberto Balado was driving to train at the headquarters of the Cuban team at the Holveín Quesada National School of Boxing (Escuela Nacional de Boxeo “Holveín Quesada,”) but didn't make it as he died in a crash at a [[level crossing|train crossing]] in [[Havana]].

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{cc}}
*{{BoxRec|911597}}
*[http://amateur-boxing.strefa.pl/Records/Balado_Roberto.html Roberto Balado Partial Record] (Amateur Boxing Results)
*[http://www.geocities.ws/pedrinet/balado.html Amateur career of Roberto Balado] (in Spanish) compiled by Pedro Cabrera Isidrón of the Cuban Olympics Committee. Last updated: 17 September 2008
*{{SR/Olympics profile|ba/roberto-balado-1}}

{{Val Barker Trophy winners}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions Boxing Super Heavyweight}}
{{Footer World Amateur Champions Super Heavyweight}}
{{Footer Pan American Champions Super Heavyweight}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Balado, Roberto}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:1994 deaths]]
[[Category:Olympic boxers for Cuba]]
[[Category:Super-heavyweight boxers]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Cuba]]
[[Category:Boxers at the 1991 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Boxers at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Road incident deaths in Cuba]]
[[Category:Olympic medalists in boxing]]
[[Category:Cuban male boxers]]
[[Category:AIBA World Boxing Championships medalists]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Cuba]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists in boxing]]
[[Category:Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Cuba]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1993 Central American and Caribbean Games]]
[[Category:Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in boxing]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1991 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Matanzas Province]]
[[Category:20th-century Cuban sportsmen]]