Miguel Cabrera has been a friend of the World Boxing Association (WBA) since before becoming the great Major League Baseball star he is today. In 1997, he was taken to the Annual Dinner of the oldest sanctioning body in the world and was decorated by its president emeritus, Gilberto Mendoza, who since then saw the great talent of the young boy.

It was the year in which Cabrera won the “Excellence of Aragonese Youth” award, the state of which the Detroit Tigers hitter comes from. Evander Holyfield and Larry Holmes were some of the boxing stars and shared with that young man who would later jump to stardom.

The WBA has always been incisive in its intention to boost youth and having had the opportunity to have Miguel in one of its important events so many years ago fills him with pride. In that year, Jose Miguel accompanied the team of Venezuela to the Pan American of San Luis and was named the best shortstop of the tournament, in addition to the top homer in hitter, leader in slugging, and the best infield player.

Today the agency remembers a beautiful story and wishes the best of success to one of the best players that Venezuela has had, and who continues to make history.