TEHRAN - Cuba's Juan Bautista Fontanills has been named head coach of Iran boxing team until the end of the 2024 Olympic Games.

Fontanills first arrived in Thailand in the 1990s and guided three Thai boxers to win Olympic gold medals -- Somluck Kamsing (1996), Wijarn Ponlid (2000) and Manus Boonjumnong (2004) -- among other achievements.

After his contract expired following the 2004 Athens Olympics, Fontanills was appointed as coach of the Mexican national team.

He began his second stint in Thailand in 2018 after the Thai boxing team finished empty-handed at the 2016 Olympics.

The Cuban coach quit his job in Thailand before 2020 Olympics, claiming Thailand Boxing Association (TBA) bosses interfered in his job.

Under Fontanills, several Thai boxers had secured tickets for Tokyo.

The Cuban will lead Team Melli in the first World Qualification Tournament, which will be held in Busto Arzizio, Italy from Feb. 29 to Mar. 12.