By Mauricio Sulaimán
Son of José Sulaimán / President of the WBC

Juan Carlos Tapia turned 80 this Saturday. A Panamanian and member of the world boxing community, he has been one of the most influential people in this sport in Latin America.

He just announced that he was going to hang up the gloves on the program that he himself started 48 years ago: “Lo Mejor del Boxeo” (The Best of Boxing). He has the Guinness Record for being the only one who has managed to sustain each weekly broadcast uninterrupted.

For this reason, Juan Carlos Tapia will surely be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota. An honorable person, I remember that a few weeks after Rafael “Cobra” Mendoza, agent and representative of boxers, died, Juan Carlos called me to ask for the telephone number of Cobra’s daughter, since he had just received a pending payment from a business, and he needed to send his part to the family.

His company, “Proteasa,” put together a program, with the support of some sponsors, to implement a lifetime pension with a monthly amount, which is delivered to each of the champions of Panama, upon turning 60 years old.

The aid ranges from 350 to 1,400 dollars a month, depending on his boxing career. At this time there are 12 who receive the retirement bonus.

Juan Carlos Tapia coincided with Don Carlos Slim, during the 59th annual Convention of the World Boxing Council last November in Mexico City. Fundación Telmex created the Ring Telmex-Telcel program, which is unique in the world, by granting a monthly scholarship to more than 20 active fighters to dedicate themselves fully to boxing; they have food, housing and everything they need to succeed in their career.

From the first generation of Ring Telmex-Telcel came the champion Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez, as well as other champions, female and male, which until today, add up to 19 monarchs.

Don Carlos Slim received the Man of the Year award when this program began, and during a ceremony attended by many former champions, Don Carlos saw with great surprise the state of many of them, especially his idol, Mantequilla Napoles.

Days later he met with my father to design an additional aid program, thus creating a lifetime pension for 25 former champions, who receive five thousand pesos each month and have free health service.

In addition, Fundación Telmex Telcel participated for five years (2015-2019) in supporting the “José Sulaimán Champions Fund” which is independently administered by the Nevada Community Foundation. The fund received significant resources and in return, referees from around the world wore the logo on their uniform. This money served to support dozens of boxers around the world.

I feel premature to say it, but, without a doubt, Juan Carlos Tapia is already a candidate for the designation of the WBC Man of the Year.

This past weekend there was some great boxing action. In the U.K., Claressa Shields defended, via unanimous decision, her championships. In Phoenix, Arizona, there was a big surprise, when Jesse Rodríguez, 22 years old, and with an undefeated record of 15-0 with 10 KO’s, defeated Carlos Cuadras by unanimous decision (a member of the first Ring Telmex-Telcel litter ).

At the Mandalay Bay, in Las Vegas, a show of six fights was held, with some championships of the WBC. Luis Nery, former WBC world champion, won the Silver title and the right to compete in the world championship. Leo Santa Cruz defeated Michael Carbajal’s nephew, Keenan Carbajal, who was part of the Box Val Program of Pope Francis’ foundation, Scholas Occurrentes, and Leo was awarded the Peace Champion belt, as was his father, Don José, for his contribution to development through boxing.

In the main event, Keith Thurman made a triumphant comeback after two years of inactivity by beating tough former world champion Mario Barrios. Finally, a card was held in Cancun, where prospect David “General” Cuéllar (a current member of Ring Telmex-Telcel) defeated Nicaraguan “Big Bang” Blandón, at the Oasis Arena in Quintana Roo.

Did you know…?

Carlos Cuadras won the gold medal at the Rio 2007 Pan American Games, and was poised to represent Mexico at the Olympic Games. After a common administrative move in the practices of the Mexican amateur boxing authorities, he was pushed aside, and had no other option than to make the leap to professionalism, where he achieved a very important career.

Cuadras is part of that historic four fighters of the super flyweight division who have fought 12 times between them. Carlos beat Thai Srisaket Sor Rungvisai, who in turn did so against “El Gallo” Estrada, and twice against Chocolatito González. And the latter, to Cuadras – he won and lost with Estrada – and El Gallo defeated Carlos, and won and defeated the Thai and the Nicaraguan.

Today`s anecdote…

Carlos Cuadras was a world champion, he married a great woman, Sarahí, with whom he has a son.

He was very close to my dad, and so he became a very dear friend. With success in the ring comes fame, money, and temptation.

One afternoon, Don José summoned him, and they talked extensively. “Mijito: we have to help this boy; he is so good. The demons of alcohol and drugs drive him crazy, and he needs us to be close to him always.”

Carlos was admitted to the Julio César Chávez clinic in Tijuana and when he left, he went immediately to see my father, who was already in the hospital, but he was so happy to see him recovered.

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