A Great Year Begins for the WBC
By Mauricio Sulaimán
Son of José Sulaimán – President of the WBC
The Christmas season has officially ended, and it’s time to knuckle down with willpower to lose those extra pounds we gained. As I previously explained, Mexico calls this the Guadalupe-Reyes Marathon, as there are daily parties from December 12 until January 6 with tamales, hot chocolate, some tequila, of course, and a variety of Mexican dishes to celebrate with friends and family … so we all start the year with a big belly, but with will to have a healthier one.
I sincerely hope that you have spent a Christmas season of peace, joy, and happiness with your loved ones and friends.
The sudden death of Carlos Bremer shook the Mexican sports community. He was an avid promoter of sports in our country. Passionate about baseball, he always found ways to promote the sport in any and every way, producing films, sponsoring athletes and events. He was a main sponsor for Canelo Alvarez with his brand VALUE, also helping fighters like Oscar Valdez and a few others. May God receive him in His Holy Glory, and deepest condolences to his family who are in deep mourning.
After a year full of great achievements for our sport, 2024 arrives with great fights on the calendar and with interesting announcements that will significantly change the way boxing works.
The arrival of Sheik Turki Al-Sheikh, with his passion for the sport of fists, achieved two majestic events, and two more are already in the works: Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk, in which the four belts will be disputed on February 17, and the return of Anthony Joshua against the very popular Francis Ngannou, who had his entrance into boxing through the front door by knocking down the WBC world champion, Tyson Fury, and losing a close decision.
The WBC and I were criticized for including Ngannou in WBC ratings after his performance against Fury, as it was his first professional fight after a very successful career in mixed martial arts, and now he will be in the ring against two-time champion Anthony Joshua, who for sure will be sitting on a barrel of dynamite because of the African’s impressive and powerful punching power. It shall be a very interesting fight indeed.
Another great event is the arrival of the Amazon Prime platform to boxing. PBC signed a multi-year contract to present top-notch boxing events with so much talent, and that includes at least two fights by Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez.
We welcome Amazon, and let it be the beginning of its era in boxing, just as HBO and Showtime one day began.
The DAZN platform is also taking shape in a spectacular way with programming in all corners of the world. I am sure that 2024 will be great for our sport.
For the World Boxing Council, it is going to be a year of memorable challenges. We have a very comprehensive work plan after the agreements reached at the Uzbekistan Convention. The priority will continue to be to find a way to make boxing safer for all those who enter the ring, find prevention measures to minimize risks before fights, and unify the actions of all those who belong to the industry in order to grow and develop.
Some keys will be:
- Successful implementation of the WBC BoxMed app by Conexión Facil.
- Closeness campaign with current champions to understand their needs, and implement investment and savings programs with GBM.
- Bring top-level boxing promotions to our country, and return weekly activity to Mexico City.
- Continue with social responsibility activities and the WBC Cares program.
- Achieve proper administration of the divisions, and have the best fights that take place.
We start 2024 with the following amazing lineup of champions:
- Heavyweight: Tyson Fury (Great Britain)
- Bridgerweight: Lukas Rozanski (Poland)
- Bridgerweight Interim: Kevin Lerena (South Africa)
- Cruiserweight: Noel Mikaelyan (Germany)
- Light Heavyweight: Artur Beterbiev (Canada)
- Super Middleweight: Saul Alvarez (Mexico)
- Super Middleweight Interim: David Benavidez (United States)
- Middleweight: Jermall Charlo (United States)
- Middleweight Interim: Carlos Adames (Dominican Republic)
- Super Welterweight: Jermell Charlo (United States)
- Welterweight: Terence Crawford (United States)
- Welterweight Interim: Mario Barrios (United States)
- Super Lightweight: Devin Haney (United States)
- Lightweight: Shakur Stevenson (United States)
- Super Featherweight: O’Shaquie Foster (United States)
- Featherweight: Rey Vargas (Mexico)
- Featherweight Interim: Brandon Figueroa (United States)
- Super Bantamweight: Naoya Inoue (Japan)
- Bantamweight: Alexandro Santiago (Mexico)
- Super Flyweight: Juan Francisco Estrada (Mexico)
- Super Flyweight Interim: Carlos Cuadras (Mexico)
- Flyweight: Julio Cesar Martinez (Mexico)
- Light Flyweight: Kenshiro Teraji (Japan)
- Strawweight: Yudai Shigeoka (Japan)
- Super Middleweight: Franchon Crews Dezurn (United States)
- Middleweight: Claressa Shields (United States)
- Super Welterweight: Ema Kozin (Slovenia)
- Welterweight: Jessica McCaskill (United States)
- Super Lightweight: Katie Taylor (Ireland)
- Lightweight: Katie Taylor (Ireland)
- Lightweight Interim: Maira Moneo (Argentina)
- Featherweight: Sky Nicolson (Australia)
- Super Bantamweight: Yamileth Mercado (Mexico)
- Bantamweight: Dina Thorsland (Denmark)
- Super Flyweight: Asley Gonzalez (Mexico)
- Super Flyweight Interim: Adelaida Ruiz (United States)
- Flyweight: Marlen Esparza (United States)
- Flyweight Interim: Kenia Enríquez (Mexico)
- Light Flyweight: Jessica Nery Plata (Mexico)
- Strawweight: Seniesa Estrada (United States)
- Atomweight: Fabiana Bytyqi (Czech Republic)
TODAY’S ANECDOTE
Julio César Chávez was the great Mexican champion, the pride of the WBC, and like a son to my dad. Julio fell into addictions that led many people to suffer those years, where anguish, sadness and suffering surrounded his loved ones. Many people abandoned him and considered him lost. Don José did not rest until he recovered, which took several years, after failed admissions to a variety of rehabilitation clinics.
Julio César visited my dad in the UCLA hospital just two weeks before his death.
“My dear champion, Julio, how proud I am of you, seeing you clean is the best thing that could happen to me! May God protect you to continue like this. You are great among the great, and now you will continue to be the champion of life,” Don Jose said.
Now is the time to fight for the reconciliation of Chavez and that of his son, Julio Jr. They are going through a sad and difficult process which, unfortunately, has been very active in social media. Let’s all give them respect and support, and I am certain soon they will be together again.
I appreciate your comments at contact@wbcboxing.com.
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