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

As the time of festivities is over, where we all become poets sending encouraging and positive messages, as we all were sensitive to welcome the New Year with enthusiasm and hope, here we are now, 2022 is here.

Diet, schedules, new purposes, and old ones too. It is a wonderful feeling to start a new cycle. We are still in time to dream what we want and take action to pursue it and make sure our goals are accomplished.

There are important concepts to maximize our chance of success.

Planning is very important, in which we must consider actions with measurable and quantifiable objectives.

It is highly recommended to have short-term objectives and, in this way, add achievements that meet the medium and long-term goals that we set for ourselves.

Patience: It is very important to allow time for the processes and not to despair; therefore, short-term objectives are essential. If the ultimate goal is to lose 20 pounds, the important thing will be to meet short term objectives; for example, reduce a couple of pounds per week and, thus, little by little reach the end of the process that we started.

Discipline: Key to keep control of what we must do. It has many enemies which constantly stalk us, tempt us to fall and to deviate as well as digress from the model of success.

The World Boxing Council has an action plan for 2022, with a significant number of objectives and it was precisely during our Convention held in Mexico City last November, where everything done in 2021 was reviewed and a masterplan was established for the coming year.

Our main objectives are, among others:

• To achieve the largest number of unified and undisputed champions in history.
• Make agreements between the four organizations for official challengers tournaments and, thus, maintain unified champions.
• Grow the clean boxing program, achieving more anti-doping tests and providing a greater education and awareness programs among trainers and boxers.
• Increase the weight management program of the fighters, to control dehydration problems as much as possible.
• Continue studies and options for preventive and corrective treatment of brain injuries.
• Continue with the development of women’s boxing to have a greater number of opportunities and increase their presence on major boxing cards, projection in television and media platforms and increased purses.
• Make the big fights that the world expects to see this year.
• Continue to establish the mismatch prevention system worldwide.

Just as the previous year began with a spectacular fight, on January 2, when Ryan García got off the canvas to knock out Briton Luke Campbell, this Saturday, January 1, Cuban Luis Ortiz, who was dropped twice, came back to knock out Charles Martin in the sixth round.

A great year is expected in world boxing. Always with the leadership of the Mexican Saul Canelo Álvarez, who is the main attraction of our sport, accompanied by great champions and idols, such as Tyson Fury; the champions in lightweight and welterweight, the Charlo twins, and even in the smaller weight categories, where there is a lot of talent and fights of enormous interest.

The big fights that are coming are:

• Carlos Cuadras vs. Srisaket Sor Rungvisai and Juan Francisco Gallo Estrada vs. Román Chocolatito González, with the winners facing off for super flyweight supremacy.
• Tyson Fury mandatory defense vs. Dillian Whyte.
• Saul Canelo Álvarez looking to win his fifth crown against the winner of the match between Ilunga Makabu and Thabiso Mchunu in the cruiserweight division.
• Jermell Charlo vs. Brian Castaño rematch, for all four super welterweight belts.
• Devin Haney vs George Kambosos, for lightweight supremacy and the so many combinations that can happen in such division.

It’s amazing what one can find in hidden archives. These photographs had not been developed; They are from when Muhammad Ali spent New Years with my family, in Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí, precisely on January 1. On that occasion, a boxing card was presented at the local fair.

Did you know…

It was a great tradition to hold boxing functions in various cities across the country on January 1, to kick off the year.

Today’s anecdote:

My father, Don José Sulaimán, organized a boxing card which was a fundraiser to help the victims of the 1985 earthquake. The card took place on January 1, 1986 at the Sports Palace in Mexico City.

The card was full of stars; In particular, Héctor Camacho and Julio César Chávez fought against different opponents, their rivalry was explosive as Camacho had beaten several Mexican fighters and his loud mouth infuriated Mexican fans.

El Macho was booed in the Palacio de los Deportes as he won his fight. After the match, he changed and came to ringside to watch Chavez fight.

My dad asked me to accompany him. Seated in the front row, a section of the crowd was chanting insults to Macho. He turned to me and asked: “What is the audience saying?” I was nervous and shy to tell him the truth and, so I commented that everyone wished him a happy new year.

Then, he stood on his chair waving to the audience with a big smile, immediately the crowd reacted and the beer rain began!

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