By Mauricio Sulaimán – WBC President – Son of José Sulaimán
All eyes in boxing were on Croke Park in Ireland, where an all-time legend said goodbye to the sport in front of an incredible sellout crowd of 83,000 fans.
Katie Taylor deservedly earned a unanimous decision over French warrior Flora Pili to become the UNDISPUTED Super lightweight champion of the world, winning all four major world titles: WBC, WBA, WBO, and IBF.
Katie’s fond farewell was deeply moving and brought everyone to tears, myself included. From a young girl who had to pretend to be a boy just to train in local Irish gyms, to an undisputed world champion showing the world the true power of women.
Katie Taylor will always be remembered as a warrior of the ring and a true ambassador inside and outside the squared circle. Congratulations to everyone involved in this magnificent event and masterful career, from her manager Brian Peters, her trainer Ross Enamait, Matchroom Boxing led by Eddie Hearn, DAZN, and so many others who in any way participated in this Hall of Fame career.
It was an action-packed weekend in rings all over the world. Our countryman Andy Ruiz suffered a tough setback in his return. The man who gave Mexico one of its greatest nights by knocking out Anthony Joshua to become our first Mexican heavyweight world champion hasn’t quite found his rhythm to compete with today’s top heavyweights.
Over in Mexico City, fan favorite Güerito de Tepito picked up his third pro victory—a huge milestone at just 16 years old.
This past Friday, September 4, I had the honor of attending the biggest event of the year hosted by the Telmex Telcel Foundation and the Carlos Slim Foundation at the Auditorio Nacional, just like every year. México Siglo XXI brings together thousands of scholarship students from all over the country for an unforgettable day packed with world-class speakers. This year’s theme was “Create Your Moment.”
The Slim family as a whole and in its entirety is a true example of unity and living by the values passed down through generations. That spirit of serving others runs from Don Carlos all the way to the youngest family members. Carlos Slim Domit kicked things off, setting the stage for a day full of learning, surprises, and big emotions. Every talk left a real mark on everyone in the audience:
Justin Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada, shared great practical advice and inspiring stories. Interestingly, he used to be an amateur boxer who found a huge ally in our sport—defeating his political rival Patrick Brazeau in a 2012 charity match gave his popularity a massive boost through discipline, smart tactics, and a winning mindset.
Andrew Lloyd Webber, the legendary composer and theater producer, talked about the tough challenges he faced breaking into the scene and even played snippets of his iconic pieces live on the piano.
The amazing Charlize Theron was a massive highlight. Other fantastic speakers included professional marathon runner Alex Roca; author, professor, and entrepreneur Scott Galloway; and world-champion mentalists MIND2MIND.
We’re living in the era of AI, and it’s time for all of us to prepare as best we can for both the real world and what’s ahead.
The sports panel was unbelievable, featuring three icons of Mexican soccer: Javier Aguirre, who led our national team to its best World Cup run, joined by his successor and all-time great Rafael Márquez, alongside legendary goalkeeper Memo Ochoa, who played in his sixth World Cup.
Arturo Elías Ayub, CEO of the Telmex Telcel Foundation, closed out the day, showing once again he’s got everything it takes to carry on the incredible legacy of a foundation that has changed millions of Mexican lives over 30 years.
The World Boxing Council, the boxing community, and the Sulaimán Saldívar family send our heartfelt congratulations to Don Carlos Slim Helú and his entire family for their generosity, warmth, and deep love for Mexico.
Did you know…?
One day, Don Carlos Slim was having coffee with my dad during one of their usual get-togethers as old friends. Don Carlos asked with genuine curiosity and concern where the next Julio César Chávez would come from, since the great champion’s career was coming to an end. Without missing a beat, Don José said:
“Look, Carlos, Mexican boxing is going through a tough patch, and we’re constantly looking at the exact issue you’re bringing up. Boxing is the ugly duckling of Mexican sports. Nobody supports our fighters, TV networks walked away, and corporate sponsors use the excuse that it’s too violent to put up any money. But mark my words: the second a fighter becomes a world champion, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. Right now, boxers get zero support—they’re working one or two extra jobs just to get by and only fight once or twice a year for peanuts.”
A few months later, the Ring Telmex Telcel program was launched, giving monthly stipends to 24 boxers so they could focus entirely on their sport. Dr. Rogelio Herrera has led the team for 18 years, guiding young prospects. To date, the program has produced 30 world champions! And guess who was in that very first group of fighters? Yep, Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez.
Today’s anecdote
The WBC voted unanimously to name Ing. Carlos Slim Helú “Man of the Year” after he launched the Ring Telmex Telcel program. We threw a special celebration to present him with the award, and it turned into one of the most memorable nights in WBC history. Don King, Evander Holyfield, sports legends, and over 60 Mexican world champions from every era showed up.
During the speeches, Don Carlos leaned over to my dad and said:
“Hey Pepe, that guy over there looks just like Mantequilla Nápoles…”
“That IS him, my dear Carlos. The poor guy’s fallen on really hard times, just like a lot of our former champions.”
Just a month later, a lifelong pension and full IMSS medical coverage were set up for 26 former world champions.
I’d love to hear your thoughts at [email protected]
