05.12.05 – Jose Sulaiman will be celebrating today his 30 years as President of the World Boxing Council, and our sport itself and all those involved in it are happy and rejoicing in a well-deserved recognition to the man that not only revived boxing but took it to unprecedented levels of excellence no one could have ever expected in the brief period of three decades..
But make no mistake, things have not been easy at all for this outstanding leader; all to the contrary, since fighting vested interests, some absurd traditions, stubbornness and above all, all those who believe that boxing is just a means to make money, have turned the task into a quite formidable endeavor.
However, our President has achieved what seemed impossible by working hard since the very first day of his administration and from then on, many great achievements have been reached which have transformed boxing into a quite different sport in every sense, with absolute protection to the boxers in the medical and other important aspects, besides a substantial improvement in the income of the fighters themselves.
And indeed, the present times have been characterized by the biggest purses earned by the WBC champions in particular. Many are the boxers who have received millions of dollars in just recognition of their courage and talent, thanks to the efforts of the World Boxing Council under the Presidency of Jose Sulaiman.
Some of the greatest champions and boxers the WBC has had in the last 30 years have been:
1. Muhammad Ali
2. Mike Tyson
3. Ray Leonard
4. Oscar de la Hoya
5. Roy Jones
6. Julio Cesar Chavez
7. Roberto Duran
8. Carlos Monzon
9. Wilfredo Gomez
10. Alexis Arguello
11. Carlos Ortiz
12. Gabriel Elorde
13. Larry Holmes
14. Erik Morales
15. Ruben Olivares
16. Azumah Nelson
17. Jose Angel Napoles
18. Ultiminio Ramos
19. Salvador Sanchez
20. Humberto Gonzalez
21. Lennox Lewis
22. Jermain Taylor
23. Bernard Hopkins
24. Pernell Whitaker
25. Felix Trinidad
26. Floyd Mayweather
27. Jeff Fenech
28. Eder Jofre
29. Michael Spinks
In addition, the World Boxing Council has ordered and sanctioned several of the most outstanding and thrilling fights of all times, some of which have been:
1. Oscar de la Hoya VS Ike Quartey
2. Ray Leonard VS Thomas Hearns (I)
3. Ray Leonard VS Roberto Duran (I)
4. Ray Leonard VS Marvin Hagler (
5. Muhammad Ali VS Joe Frazier (III)
6. Joe Frazier VS Muhammad Ali (I)
7. Larry Holmes VS Ken Norton
8. Larry Holmes VS Earnie Shavers
9. Marco A. Barrera VS Erik Morales (III)
10.Erik Morales VS Marco A. Barrera (I)
11. Julio Cesar Chavez VS Meldrik Taylor(I)
12. Julio Cesar Chavez VS Azabache Martinez
13. Wilfredo Gomez VS Guadalupe Pintor
14. Ultiminio Ramos VS Davey Moore
15. Oscar de la Hoya VS Fernando Vargas
16. Alexis Arguello VS Alfredo Escalera (I)
17. Chartchai Chionoi VS Efrén Torres (I)
18. Marvin Hagler VS Bestia Mugabi
19. Felix Trinidad VS Fernando Vargas
20. Bernard Hopkins VS Felix Trinidad
21. Lennox Lewis VS Vitali Klitschko
22. Arturo Gatti VS Mickey Ward (II non title)
23. Michael Carbajal VS Humberto Gonzalez (I)
24. Diego Corrales VS Jose Luis Castillo
25. Daniel Zaragoza VS Joichiro Tatsuyoshi
26. Emile Griffith VS Benny Kid Paret (II)
27. Azumah Nelson VS Jeff Fenech (I)
28. Jesse James Leija VS Azumah Nelson (II)
29. Roberto Duran VS Iran Barkley
30. Carlos Monzon VS Rodrigo Valdez (I)
SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACHIEVEMENTS IN BOXING ACCOMPLISHED BY DOCTOR JOSE SULAIMAN:
1. Reduction of the length of bouts from 15 to 12 rounds
2. Official weigh-in 24 hours previous to the fight
3. Intermediate divisions
4. Four-rope rings
5. Thumb-attached gloves
6. World Medical Advisory Board
7. Truly authentic world ratings
8. Millionaire and multimillionaire purses
9. “Friendly Hand” Charity Foundation
10.Life and Hospitalization Insurance
11. One hundred and sixty seven affiliated countries
12. World Medical Seminars
13. Donations for medical research
14. Three scoring judges at every fight
15. World Hall of Fame
16. Monument to the Boxer
17. Purse Offers
18. Mandatory title defenses
19. Mandatory resting periods
20. UCLA/SPAR Research Program
21. Mandatory Medical Examinations
22. Drug and Alcohol Awareness Program
23. International Championships
24. Prohibition of dangerous substances
25. Ring Officials Seminars
26. New Scoring System
27. World Championship Belt (regular and luxury)
28. Boxing Signals Language for Referees
29. Round by round scoring cards
30. New and improved mouthpiece
And we would like to conclude with a saying by our President: “Whoever wants to be with us, already knows us.”