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

Finally, the moment awaited by the community of our sport has arrived, namely, the Annual Convention of the World Boxing Council.

The most important week in our sport, in which delegates from the 170 affiliated countries gather, combine and unite for this meeting, in which a large number of decisions are made that, year after year, revolutionize our sport, to make it safer, and project it towards integral growth.

Hundreds of people have gathered in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in central Asia, a country that many of the attendees could not previously locate on the map…with a pin.

We have discovered and found a beautiful, hospitable, safe nation full of ancient traditions. Smiling is one of the qualities that is experienced step after step, delicious food based on organic vegetables, cheeses, bread and dishes, with influence from the East and the Arab world.

After many hours of travel we had the welcome cocktail, with the presence of legendary champions, which provided an unbeatable atmosphere: Julio César Chávez, Roberto Mano de Piedra Durán, Humberto Chiquita González, Daniel Zaragoza, Carlos Zárate, Kostya Tszyu, Amir Khan and Evander Holyfield were the center of attention. Also the champion of life, Adonis Stevenson, who is going to reward Billy Dib, who has managed to knock out cancer.

We cannot forget our young hero Bridger Walker, who was awarded as The Bravest Man in the World, during the COVID-19 pandemic. He now passes the bravery baton to Dayana Sánchez, from Argentina, who will be recognized as The Most Courageous Woman on the Planet, after having survived a fire that ended her boxing career.

A large number of topics are on the agenda. In addition, how traditional the classifications of the 18 divisions are, and the determination of the mandatory fights.

We will be presenting the BoxMed application, which has been developed by Conexión Fácil, under the leadership of Andrew Kluger, who will be awarded Man of the Year. This new technology will be in charge of carrying out the weighing management program to serve the boxing community, with the monitoring of the weight of all champions and first 15 world qualifiers, with the purpose of preventing dramatic weight fluctuations, since this is the athlete’s most dangerous rival and enemy.

One of the most important boxers of the moment, the Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk, also arrived to announce the long-awaited fight against British Tyson Fury.

This is the contest in which the four complete belts will be at stake, by early 2024, in Saudi Arabia.

Usyk became a unified cruiserweight champion, and decided to invade the heavyweight division, eventually defeating Anthony Joshua, and thus winning three belts, and now he will seek the Green and Gold, in the fight in which for the first time there will be an undisputed champion, in 20 years, since Lennox Lewis was until 2004.

The month of November will be historic for the WBC, since 24 title fights will be sanctioned by our organization. This Thursday, Shakur Stevenson will face Edwin of Los Santos for the WBC lightweight world title. There will be performances in England, South Africa, and others around the world, with the participation of the Mexicans, both former world champions, Carlos Cuadras vs. Pedro Guevara, who will compete in the interim super flyweight world championship in Uzbekistan.

This meeting has been designated as the Peace Convention. While some parts of world generate and degenerate with violence, loss of values and constant commotion, sport comes together to show that everything can be achieved with passion, sacrifice and building bridges of peace and unity.

Did you know…?

The World Boxing Council has held conventions around the world since its founding in Mexico City in 1963. In addition, Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Ukraine, Russia, Italy, Spain, England, South Africa, Tunisia, Argentina, Aruba, Canada, South Korea, the United States and our country, as well as other nations. Cancun has been the venue with the largest number of conventions in the history of the WBC.

Today’s anecdote

Nelson Mandela was one of the great inspirations of the World Boxing Council, and especially of my father, José Sulaimán. His fight against the regime of racial discrimination (apartheid), which led to up to 24 years in prison, in inhumane conditions in South Africa.

The organization fought a fight for the dignity of human beings for 17 years, in which it maintained a veto against that country, through boxing.

This struggle culminated in the release of Mandela, who eventually became President of that country. The WBC annual convention came to Johannesburg, where Nelson Mandela inaugurated it: This was, without a doubt, one of the most important moments of my life; to be sitting next to a person who conquered hatred through love, discarded discrimination and banished recrimination, with magnanimity, extending his hand to foes, even though, he possessed all the power. He sought and found human equality via spiritual growth, rather than redundant revenge.

Nelson Mandela, my idol, inspired me with his smile, character, humanity, empathy and dignity.

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