By Mauricio Sulaiman
Son of Jose Sulaiman / President of the WBC

Russia’s painful invasion of Ukraine is in all the news, social networks and any conversation. The only thing I wish to express is the sorrow that the world boxing community feels for this sad event.

We have so many people who are very dear to us in both countries who have had an incredible relationship for many years, including world champions, promoters, ring officials, and everyone else in the sporting community. God help us to restore peace.

This last Saturday there was a very tough fight between the undisputed super lightweight champion, who holds the WBC, WBO, IBF and WBA belts, the Scotsman Josh Taylor, against his challenger, British Jack Catterall.

Taylor beat Mexican-American José Carlos Ramírez last year in a great battle, in Las Vegas; Thus, he proclaimed himself the undisputed monarch, and according to the comments after the fight, it is most likely that he will move up to welterweight.

This super lightweight division, which was where the great Mexican champion, Julio César Chávez showed his best skills, is on fire.

This Friday, Ramírez returns to the ring, after the defeat he suffered versus Taylor, to face Puerto Rican José Pedraza, in an eliminatory fight for the WBC.

On the other hand, we have WBC silver champion and official challenger of the division, José “Chon” Zepeda, from the USA.

If Taylor moves up in weight, we will see Zepeda challenge for the vacant title against Ramirez, in case Ramirez wins his fight on Friday.

Teófimo López also arrived to this category, who is, without a doubt, one of the biggest threats, and of course, the former world champion Regis Prograis, who will fight for a WBC eliminator on March 19 in Dubai.

Another division which is on fire is the super flyweight. A tournament had been scheduled to see the fights between Juan Francisco “Gallo” Estrada vs. Chocolatito González III and Carlos Cuadras vs. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai II, on the understanding that both winners would meet.

But COVID-19 did its thing and took Estrada and Rungvisai out of the equation. The WBC supported the promoters’ requests to continue with the cards, and in a big upset, young Jesse Rodriguez defeated Cuadras to win the WBC super flyweight championship.

And this coming Saturday, March 5, Chocolatito is going to face the current WBC flyweight world champion, Julio César Rey Martínez, who received permission from the WBC to gain weight and have the most important fight of his career.

We’ll see what happens on Saturday, and also how Estrada and Rungvisai’s medical status is, to order the following fights.

I was talking with my great friend, the former WBC super flyweight world champion, José Luis Bueno, and he recalled with great emotion one of the traditions of Mexican boxing.

My son asked him about his record, and he said that he lost a hard one against Javier León, but the fight was so good that in the end the public threw money to them.

That was seen in all the arenas in the country, and although it is very rare for that to happen now, from time to time, this very special phenomenon happens that recognizes when fighters give their everything.

On Friday, we had an event at the Bordo Xochiaca Penitentiary Center in Nezahualcóyotl. The first inter-prison tournament was held. This program has been around for several years, with wonderful results. Together with Dr. Eunice Rendón and many enthusiastic collaborators who have participated in the programs Knockout: Don’t Throw in the Towel, and Boxing for Reinsertion, projects have been established with psychometric measurement in different prisons in the State of Mexico, Morelos and others.

On Saturday, we witnessed the finals of a tournament where the winners of each of their rehabilitation centers participated. The level of boxing seen was wonderful, the courage and desire to win was enthusiastic and the sportsmanship at the end of the fights was moving.

David Picasso (godfather of the event), Humberto “Chiquita” González, Pipino Cuevas, Pablo César Cano, Víctor Manuel Rabanales, Coto Vidales and Mariana “La Barby” Juárez accompanied me to present the medals.

We thank the director of the center, Verónica Jiménez, Juan de Dios Rodríguez, director of Social Reintegration of the Undersecretary of Penitentiary Control, and especially the Secretary of Public Security of the State of Mexico, Rodrigo Martínez Celis, for all the facilities he provided to make this tournament a success.

Wide recognition to Carlos Bondojo Hernández, who managed a wonderful coordination of the event, along with Alfonso Picasso, for the excellence of the ring officials and medical services.

We all make mistakes in life; some people with greater severity and consequences, but we all deserve a second chance. That is why the World Boxing Council has taken with great enthusiasm these programs that give hope to those who have lost their freedom and find themselves locked up in a world with no way out. Sport and boxing give them discipline, order, motivation and take them by the hand to prepare for one day reintegration into society.

DID YOU KNOW…?

Great personalities from the world of boxing managed to rebuild their lives, after spending years in prison: Bernard Hopkins and promoter Don King used their years of confinement to improve and prepare to achieve success out.

TODAY’S ANECDOTE

One day my father was in his office when he received a call that shocked him. Pipino Cuevas had been imprisoned.

He was a great welterweight world champion and was responsible for the sport of the Gustavo A. Madero Delegation, and due to an inhuman trick, a trap that was set for him for a ridiculous amount of 20 thousand pesos, and which they accused him of without any proof. He had to spend three months of his life in a Mexican prison.

My dad went to visit him and Humberto “Chiquita” González was always there, who visited him six days a week to accompany him in this painful situation, of which he was innocent at the end of the process, but without anyone being able to take away that bitter experience.

I appreciate the feedback from you at [email protected].