By Mauricio Sulaimán
Son of José Sulaimán & WBC President

Once again, the famous phrase comes to my mind: who forgives… loses.

Never rest on laurels! What happened in NFL football this past weekend, and in various games this season, has been extraordinary.

The Los Angeles Chargers largely dominated the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-0, who turned the game around and won 31-30.

The Buffalo Bills crushed the Miami Dolphins, 17-0, in the first half, only to suddenly see the game tied at 17! And so more cases that occurred such as the spectacular return of the Minnesota Vikings, by winning the game that they were losing 33-0, against the Indianapolis Colts.

This has happened in all sports. How to keep athletes motivated when they are clearly dominating the opponent? How to continue doing what has led them to dominate and win?

This same thing has happened in boxing. Mike Tyson came out so powerful against Evander Holyfield in their first fight; he was a 25-1 favorite, and in the first round, he rocked and hurt him, however, he didn’t follow through and ended up getting knocked out in the 10th round.

Julio César Chávez defended his title at the Tijuana Hippodrome against a mid-table rival, Danilo Cabrera, from the Dominican Republic.

Julio knocked him down in the first round and everything indicated that he would quickly finish him off. However, the great Mexican champion looking to put on a show in front of a full house didn`t apply the finishing touch. and in the second round, he broke his hand. He won the fight by decision, and in great pain, but because of the warrior’s heart that kept him going, as the vast majority would have thrown in the towel.

On the other hand, we celebrate the inclusion of three great champions in the program of the Carlos Slim Foundation for life pensions and social security for the glories of boxing.

In addition to the Ring Telmex Telcel program, unique in the world, which gives financial scholarships to boxers to project them to great things and which have generated 19 world champions, including Saúl Canelo Álvarez, Carlos Slim agreed with my father to grant 27 life pensions to Mexican monarchs.

Mario Azabache Martínez, ring warrior who faced Julio César Chávez, Jeff Fenech, Azumah Nelson and many more.

Jorge Vaca, boxer from Guadalajara, who also won the WBC welterweight title against Englishman Llyod Honeyghan.

Alejandro Cobrita González, champion who is remembered for The Fight of the Year against Kevin Kelley, with the WBC featherweight championship, on January 7, 1995.

Eternal gratitude to Don Carlos Slim for having Mexican boxing in his heart and making my dad’s dream possible.

January 16 marks the ninth anniversary of my father’s passing. As time goes! This period has been unimaginable and indescribable.

Don José left us a legacy that is manifested day after day. He is still present here before thousands of people. There is no week that he is not present through people who express wonderful concepts of him, others who are strangers who express it to us or acquaintances who tell us anecdotes and memories.

I miss my dad so much. There are times, I don’t even feel like he left in 2014.

A mass was celebrated in the Old Basilica of Guadalupe, broadcast on Facebook, being aware of the problem of still possible infections due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

I take this opportunity to wholeheartedly thank all those who have sent us precious messages remembering Don José Sulaimán.

Did You Know…?

Yesica Nery Plata, who was the WBC Youth champion, achieved the first great victory of the year for Mexican boxing by winning the light flyweight world championship in Quebec, Canada, defeating the now former champion Kim Clavel by unanimous decision.

Today’s anecdote

After the creation of the Ring Telmex Telcel program, a historic event was held at the Fundación Telmex facilities. Almost 80 world champions from Mexico, Don King and Evander Holyfield were present to formalize this great pro-boxing program.

Don Carlos, who was sitting next to my dad, told him: “Pepe, my greatest idol was José Mantequilla Nápoles.” My dad replied, “There he is! Look at him there in the front row.” Don Carlos Slim, surprised, told him: “What the hell! How scruffy he looks!”

Finally, my dad told him: “That’s right, my dear Carlos! The vast majority of our idols live in difficult situations and with big problems.”

That day, the life pension was born…

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