Report/Photos by Boxing Bob Newman

Firstly, more awards were verbally bestowed and will be mailed or otherwise delivered to the recipient.

• Work Horse: Anson Wainwright
• Lifetime Achievement: Don Majeski
• Commissioner of the Year: Charlie Giles
• Committee Chairman: Thanapol Bhakdibhumi
• Confederation: EBU
• MVP: Kevin Noon
• Lady of the Year: Miss Nagano (Teiken Gym)
• Commission of the Year: British Boxing Board
• Boxing Couple: Roberto & Carla Diaz
• Good Fellow Award: Mike George
• Man of the Year: Turki Alalshiekh
• Committee Member of the Year: Dr. Ricardo Monreal & Marcos Ariente
• Dr. Finerman Award: Luis Rodriguez

Dr. Paul Wallace and Dr. Ricardo Monreal gave the summary medical report. Genetics was the hot topic enduring the medical committee meetings. Karyotype testing will be implemented for WBC competitions. No genetic chromosomal variations will be allowed in cases of females (x,x) fighting females and males (x,y) fighting males. Every fighter will have a baseline test, regardless of their appearance, etc.

Also, regarding female boxing, the number of rounds (10) and duration (2 minutes) of rounds will remain as is in WBC fights.

Rapid weight cutting before fights was also discussed as an ongoing problem.

Also, Dr. Silverman discussed the importance of mental health therapy of fighters.

There are studies involving the role of boxing training in helping Parkinson’s disease.

The WBC University platform has been and will continue to be utilized in continued training of ring officials for all WBC fights.

Layering methods of hand wrapping (tape, then gauze, or vice versa) was discussed. Former champ Michael Moorer shared that Emanuel Steward started with tape directly on skin first, then gauze.

Former FBI agent Rocky Herron discussed marijuana use by fighters and the detrimental effects it can have- slowing reaction time, the analgesic effect where a fighter’s pain threshold is increased, etc. Now that marijuana has been largely legalized throughout the U.S., its presence has increased exponentially.

Dr. Armando Ahmed Ortega was honored for his work with fighters, often finding free treatments and surgeries, including for Israel Vazquez.

The WBC presented an honorary belt to Tommy Morrison, via Sean Gibbons, who will present it to Tommy’s widow Trisha. There have been multiple reports of late, exposing that Morrison’s positive HIV diagnosis was false. It adversely affected his career and effectively ended it.

Undefeated welterweight Avious Griffin shared his story of false incarceration of over a year on a murder
charge. He was in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. He was released after a year with basically a, “Sorry, it wasn’t you. You can go now.” The Chattanooga, TN native resumed his career, reconnected with his young son, and is now 16-0, 15 KOs. He has been training with Bo Mac, Terence Crawford’s trainer. He was just approved to fight for the vacant WBC USA welterweight title.

Rahul Suri of Crypto Fight Night addressed the delegation and discussed their association with the WBC, spreading their events all around the world.

Billy Dib, Michael Moorer, Umi Ishikawa and Alfonso Zamora spoke on the perils of mismanaging money as an athlete, giving advice on investing their earnings during their short careers.

Xochitl Lagarda of WBC University delivered her reporting the growth of the university platform- ring officials, medical doctors, availability in multiple languages, credentialing, drug education and so much more.

WBC Ukraine’s Mykola Kovalchuk delivered a report on the work done and events held within the organization. Several wounded Ukrainian soldiers attended the Usyk-Fury in Riyadh. The WBC Bridgerweight title will be contested in Kiev in February when Champion Kevin Lerena defends against Ukraine’s Serhiy Radchenko.

With that, President Mauricio Sulaiman thanked the WBC staff for all their work behind the scenes, convention organizers Ahmet Öner and Malte Müller, the media for their committed coverage and the delegates for their attendance and dedication.
Until next year…whispers Thailand!