BANGKOK, 9 July 2003 — Agasi Mamedov of Azerbaijan gained sweet revenge for two previous defeats by World and Olympic champion Guillermo Ortiz Rigondeaux of Cuba at the World Amateur Boxing Championships yesterday.

Mamedov, who lost to Rigondeaux in the bantamweight final at the 2001 world championships and the quarterfinals of the 2000 Sydney Olympics when boxing for Turkey, shocked the Cuban with his counter-punching.

He won three of the four rounds to complete a 16-13 points victory and inflict the first defeat on the powerful Cuban squad.

Cuba won seven of the 12 golds on offer at the 2001 event and are out to match or better that in Bangkok.

Mamedov, who was lured to Turkey after winning the 1996 European Junior Championship and boxed for his adopted country under the name of Agasi Agaguloglu, returned to his native land after his defeat to Rigondeaux in 2001.

He was rewarded for his return with a house and living expenses by the sports authorities in Azerbaijan.

“I have been beaten twice by the Cuban so it was good to win today,” said Mamedov. “It is satisfying to be back representing Azerbaijan.”

Heavyweight Odlanier Fonte Solis, the defending champion, quickly put the Cuban challenge back on track by stopping Spiridon Kladouh of Greece in just two minutes of their second-round contest.

The 23-year-old from Havana hit the Greek with shots from the opening bell and a shell-shocked Kladouh did not come out for the second round.

“I am feeling good and hitting well,” said Solis.

But he laughed at the suggestion that he was following in the footsteps of Cuban heavyweight greats Teofilo Stevenson and Felix Savon, both three-time Olympic champions.

“I am not like them,” he said. “It is not sure if I will be in the squad for the Olympics.”

The United States, who called foul over the judging after eight of their boxers ended on the first round scrapheap, had something to celebrate when welterweight Andre Berto beat Rolandas Jasevicius of Lithuania 29-22 on points.