By Mauricio Sulaimán
Son of José Sulaimán – President of the WBC
The World Boxing Council will celebrate its 58th annual convention, from August 12 to 15, through cyber technology; It will be a “virtual” congress, as the digital age is now upon us. We decided to go ahead with the event instead of traveling to St Petersburg, Russia. The world will come together with virtual reality, in a convention labeled as “We are the World.”
We are preparing everything as if we were going to have it in person. During these meetings, a large number of members of the boxing community from around the will be online. Commissioners, ring officials, promoters and managers, champions, media and fans.
The opening ceremony has a very special protocol. We have had the great honor of having the presence of many presidents of countries and important figures, who inaugurate these events.
We will forever remember the presence of Nelson Mandela in South Africa, which was historic. Carlos Saúl Menem in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Stjepan Mesic, in Croatia, and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the Philippines, among others, which shows the significance.
The Ring Officials seminar, which serves as the judge and referees’ annual certification.
The meetings of the committees are of great importance, the year’s accomplishments are carefully evaluated and the objectives for the following year are set.
The ratings sessions of all the divisions, and the mandatory fight session, is, without a doubt, the one that has the greatest importance, since that is where the future of each division is defined.
Boxing is back, and a large number of bouts are already planned to take place in various countries.
Activities have already started in England, plus cards continued in Las Vegas, USA, and between July and August, many nations will have boxing action such as: Mexico, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, China, Russia, Germany and Nicaragua, with constant programming of events.
The first world championship fight on the WBC will take place on August 7, in the United Kingdom, with the defense of our British champion Terri Harper against her compatriot Natasha Jonas; Eight days later, Mexican sensation Julio César Martínez will defend the flyweight title against Puerto Rican McWilliams Arroyo in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
A series of major bouts were announced at lightweight and makes this division the most attractive in all of boxing.
Ukrainian WBC franchise champ, Vasiliy Lomachenko, will unify titles with Teofimo López; Devin Haney (USA) will make a defense of his championship with rival, date and place to be defined.
Venezuelan Jorge Linares and Dominican Javier Fortuna will compete for a very special trophy, the WBC Diamond Belt, and finally, Ryan García (USA) will fight England’s Luke Campbell for the interim world championship, with a date to be designated.
Another division that is on fire is the heavyweights. WBC champion Tyson Fury of England will clash for the third time against Deontay Wilder of the USA.
Wilder, after reigning for five years, was knocked out on February 22, so he seeks to avenge his only defeat.
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