The German Boxing Association (DBV) has filled the position of head coach. Since February 1, 2026, 59-year-old Cuban Humberto Horta Dominguez has been responsible for training the national squad.
Humberto Horta Dominguez is one of the most experienced international junior and national coaches in Olympic boxing. For more than three decades, he has held leading coaching positions in Cuba (1994-2016), Russia (2016-2018), Azerbaijan (2018-2021) and most recently in France, developing numerous world champions and Olympic medal winners.
A selection of top boxers he has coached underlines the experience of the new head coach: Yan Barthelemy (Olympic champion), Guillermo Rigondeaux (Olympic champion), Odanier Solis (Olympic champion), Robeisy Ramirez (two-time Olympic champion), Roniel Iglesias (two-time Olympic champion), Emilio Correa (Olympic silver), Yudel Johnson (Olympic silver), Yordenis Ugas (Olympic bronze), Lázaro Álvarez (multiple Olympic medal winner) and Erislandy Álvarez (Olympic champion).
Work at the DBV Center in Heidelberg
Humberto Horta Dominguez will work at the new DBV Centre in Heidelberg, where the DBV has increasingly centralized the training of the national squad. His focus will be on the systematic development and support of the national squad and the establishment of sustainable high-performance structures.
The new head coach had the following to say about his new commitment to the DBV: “I’m looking forward to this new job at the German Boxing Association. I have already had some very good and fruitful discussions with the management of the association, the coaching staff and, of course, the athletes in the national squad, in which I was able to present my ideas and methods. It was a good start. We are at the beginning of a new Olympic cycle. This is where I want to contribute my decades of experience at the international level of Olympic boxing. The clear goal is to gradually place ourselves more and more in the medal ranks at the upcoming international competitions.”
Medal expectations for LA2028
DBV President Farid Vatanparast comments on the DBV’s latest and important personnel decision: “We had many applications for this position from all over the world. We made a unanimous decision in favor of Humberto Horta Dominguez. We are convinced that he has the skills and experience to take the team back to where we once were. Accordingly, we are very happy that we were able to introduce Horta to the athletes and the coaching staff as the new head coach. We firmly believe that with the concept that has now been developed and with the new head coach, we can expect to win some medals in Los Angeles in 2028.”
Text: Press release / DBV / Ralf Elfering