WORLD BOXING COUNCIL NEWS
February 14, 2012 – Mexico City.
From WBC President Dr. José Sulaimán:
The following is one of the weekly “Hook to the Body” columns by WBC President Dr. José Sulaimán that are published in El Universal every Sunday. From February 12, translated from Spanish:
HOOK TO THE BODY
By José Sulaimán
Deep sadness filled my heart this passing last week. I send Christmas cards to the many friends in my life for whom I have the addresses as a sign of friendship and high esteem and many of them correspond. Among the many cards that I received, five shocked me, as they were from families of my dear friends who were informing me that they had passed away in recent months. My heart went back to those years of the past that we all enjoyed unforgettable adventures with happiness and a close, unbreakable friendship, years that went as fast as the wind. May Wally, Layman, George, Falo and Jorge rest in everlasting peace. I will remember them always.
The Chavez-Rubio fight took place last week in San Antonio, which many think as a tough candidate for fight of the year, as both fighters came out to give their very best in a fight where there was no dancing, no weak jobs, no fooling around, no running backwards or sideways. They were 12 rounds of throwing punches like a windmill, with Chávez fighting after Rubio without rest, not to let Rubio come forward with his powerful right. It is a shame that Rubio’s representatives tarnished the great fight with invalid protests. They blamed Julio for not taking the antidoping tests, but Rubio also didn’t, as no one of
the other two title fights of that card had, either; there was no laboratory available. Rubio, who lost with dignity during the 12 rounds, congratulated the champion and accepted defeat while stating that he was not involved in the protests and respected Julio César as the champion.
The fight proved to be a war, as it always happens when two Mexicans battle in the ring. So did Ruben Olivares and Chucho Castillo, Carlos Zárate and Alfonso Zamora, Eric Morales and Marco Antonio Barrera, Israel Vazquez and Rafael Márquez, the trio of Casanova, Zurita and Joe Conde, Vicente Saldívar and Ultiminio Ramos, and so many others in the more than 100 years of history of Mexican boxing, all who fight with a heart of lions. Julio César Chávez quieted many people and showed that he is the champion of the world and ready to fight any challenger. His promoters are announcing other names than Martínez, for his next fight, trying perhaps to embarrass the WBC, but it is Julio César who must decide, and I just hope that he will not step against his WBC, where he has found support and several titles since his very beginning.
It is said that promoter Bob Arum has stated that he will have Julito fight others, as he would like to see me withdraw recognition from such a Mexican hero. I thought that Bob knew me better. I believe in reciprocal loyalty, as otherwise there is no loyalty, and I accept that Martínez offended me, even when the WBC has been the only organization that gave him the opportunities to be what he is. But my obligation is not to react to pressures, offenses, words or threats. My commitment is to follow the rules of the WBC, as well as the rulings of its Board of Governors. Otherwise, unfortunately for some, I would have not lasted the 36 years that I undeservedly have as president of the WBC. Exceptions have been always accepted with agreements of the parties but not without them, regardless.
Boxing has been at its greatest ever in Mexico. There are gyms for ladies to learn the art of self defense. Several Governors of Mexico, like Q.Roo, Yucatan, Chiapas, Estado de México, Nayarit, the city of Tijuana and others, have understood the needs of the people, as Mexican fans break TV records and fill arenas. It is one of the most popular sports of the country for the excitement, passion and pride of Mexican people. There have been many promoters of the past that are already in history and also new ones, some of high respect, whom I hope will continue boxing in Mexico with honesty, compassion for fighters, and total dedication for the best of their fighters and promotions, instead of trying to succeed by tarnishing the images of competitors that really hurt boxing. I hope that all present promoters bury their hatchets to destroy each other and obtain a new mentality of mutual respect and interchange boxers to raise the quality of the sport and not only picking “my boxer against my boxer” – that is really a shame.
The WBC and myself are very proud of all boxers and of the sport of our love, and will continue struggling, even with our own human mistakes, to try our best for continuing the lifting of boxing.