By Mauricio Sulaimán – President of the WBC – Son of José Sulaimán
On Saturday, I went to a boxing event at the Sala Urbana in Naucalpan, a great evening put on by Miura Boxing.
It’s a gym that has had a stable of boxers for a few years, and the events they put on are to keep them active. It’s a wonderful concept that used to work very well and that very few promoters use today. I want to congratulate Manuel Garrido, who provides significant support to his boxers.
The event was fantastic. It had been a long time since I’d gone as a fan; I had a beer and enjoyed the passion with which everyone fought on this great night, which was broadcast on TVC Deportes.
The golden age of Mexican boxing was the Saturday events at the Arena Coliseo in the city center. No matter who was fighting, the public would show up to enjoy great fights. The formula was perfect: Televisa broadcast the events, and Corona sponsored them.
This concept existed in many cities around the world: boxing in a specific venue and a consistent audience. At Madison Square Garden in New York, the Sports Arena or the Forum in Los Angeles, the Felt Forum in Philadelphia, and Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, among others.
Last week, a phenomenon occurred at the Palacio de los Deportes; Supernova put on an event featuring influencers with musical performances between fights. It was a monumental success. It was a great organization that was also highly responsible in complying with all the guidelines established by the Mexico City Boxing Commission.
We, as the WBC, participated by providing advice, understanding that this is now a reality and that, although it initially caused criticism, it ended up dignifying our sport. The participants showed greatness, dedicating themselves with discipline, training, passing all the medical exams, and following simple, specific rules for protection, and the performance of the referees was fundamental in every fight.
Franco Escamilla, who is known for his monologues on YouTube, often smokes and drinks during his shows. Given his large build, the last thing you would have thought was that he would step into the ring, but he did, facing off against Escorpion Dorado. He went to the gym and got in shape, showing the discipline that boxing teaches, a great success story.
Alana Flores, also from Monterrey, faced Gala Montes, who had an advantage of 19 centimeters and 14 kilos. She dedicated herself body and soul and managed to win her fight; like Franco, it was a success story. The Palacio de los Deportes was packed with a great atmosphere, where millions of people followed the event on various platforms and even on the global network DAZN.
The “Coffee Tuesday” event was in Cuernavaca with the Governor of Morelos, my friend Margarita González, with whom we signed an agreement to carry out programs. One was “Knockout, don’t throw in the towel,” a social reintegration program in prisons, with the leadership of Dr. Eunice Rendón. It helps people experience the magic of boxing, changing their lives and finding a way to return to society and train in their communities.
The Governor promised to install at least 10 rings in the state. We will hold amateur tournaments, professional events, and social responsibility activations. We are now close to the highly anticipated card at Allegiant Stadium, where Mexican fighter Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez will face Terence Crawford. The event will be broadcast on Netflix and TV Azteca in Mexico.
The rivalry between Mexico and the United States in boxing is huge. Julio César Chávez was the star of some big fights. That dramatic brawl against Meldrick Taylor, the draw with Pernell Whitaker, or the knockouts against Roger Mayweather. On the other hand, Marco Antonio Barrera knocked out Kennedy McKinney but was knocked out by Junior Jones. The great Érik “Terrible” Morales avenged Barrera by knocking out Jones in the bullring in Tijuana.
Did you know…?
Boxing among celebrities has always existed. The great Muhammad Ali faced the wrestler Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, Japan, who focused on generating kicks. The Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke had some boxing bouts. The slugger José Canseco stepped into the ring, where he took a beating and decided to hang up his gloves. Someone who was successful, winning six fights, was the gigantic defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, Ed “Too Tall” Jones.
Today’s Anecdote
Lupe Pintor suffered a car accident that kept him out of the ring for a couple of years. His championship became vacant, and Juan “Kid” Meza was crowned the king of the super bantamweights. “El Cuyo” Hernández visited my dad with Lupe and asked for the opportunity to fight for what had been his championship. Even though Meza was a very solid and dangerous champion, they agreed to set up the fight at the Palacio de los Deportes. In a great display of courage and determination, “El Grillo de Cuajimalpa” knocked down the heavily favored champion a couple of times and won by unanimous decision, thus recovering his Green and Gold WBC belt. The excitement was so great that everyone climbed into the ring to celebrate the victory. Don Antonio Andere, accompanied by Sonny Alarcón, was narrating the event, and just as my dad got into the ring, the inevitable happened: the ring collapsed. In that unforgettable voice, Don Antonio Andere narrated: “And now, just as Don José Sulaimán entered the ring, the ring has collapsed.” My dad would remember with great humor: “Can you believe it? It turns out it fell because I got in! Well, time to start that diet.”
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