Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, President of the World Boxing Association (WBA), gave the bronze medal to Antioquia’s Yuberjen Martinez in Hamburg, Germany, this Saturday.

Martínez achieved the distinction in the AIBA World Boxing Championships, a tournament in which he returned to the podium to ratify his condition as one of the best exponents of the world at 49 kilograms.

“I’m happy to have reached my first World Championship and get a medal. I came with the desire to make history and I did it, now I’m going for more!”, said the medalist.

“Yuberjen is a sign of humility, hard work and another proof that there is boxing talent anywhere in the world”, Mendoza said. “He (Martinez) is an example that boxing is a vehicle for social improvement”.

The act meant a lot to Martinez and Mendoza, as the WBA Presidency moves to Medellín in January 2018 with the firm intention of developing boxing in the region and throughout Colombia. “For us, it is an honor that the World Boxing Association is now in Antioquia since there is a lot of talent and I think they can do a very good job”, said the Colombian Olympic medalist.

For his part, the WBA President said: “I am focused, especially in Colombia as a pilot plan, to create a sustained development of Boxing. All based on youth to give it a chance to grow, no matter if they go on the Olympic path or the professional path. We have to work hand in hand because it is the only way to have a structured sport”.

In addition, the President of the WBA stated that one of his goals is to make Antioquia the region with the best boxers. “Without a doubt, now that I will have my house in Antioquia, I want the region to earn as many medals as possible in the national games. All this through a work of development”, said Mendoza.