By Mauricio Sulaimán
President of the WBC – Son of José Sulaimán
The electoral process in the United States has ended. Uncertainty and speculation are over. Donald Trump won the elections and will be the 47th President of the USA.
A wave of celebrations has emerged, another large flock of opportunists have already emerged, and fortunately the highly publicized social confrontations that were said would happen if Trump won did not occur.
Donald Trump is a friend of boxing, which we celebrate. It was our sport that in the 90s turned around its financial and structural complications. In an innovative and masterful move by Donald Trump, he teamed up with Don King to promote five Mike Tyson fights just when he was the most powerful athlete in the universe, the WBC and Undisputed world heavyweight champion, undefeated and considered invincible.
In 2018, as President of the United States, he granted a presidential pardon to Jack Johnson, a highly important situation that took decades to achieve. Johnson was the inspiration for Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard and many more boxers and athletes.
Don José Sulaimán, my dear father, led WBC initiative campaign made up of many world champions, members of society and American politicians, to promote said presidential pardon, which went to the Senate, and was on the desk of three presidents: George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama, but it was not until President Trump arrived with his empathy for the terrible case of racial discrimination and abuse of a boxer that he decided to sign it in a historic event that we had the honor of witnessing in the Oval Office of the White House, on May 24, 2018. Sylvester Stallone was key for this monumental achievement, once again proving why he is the greatest boxing ambassador.
This coming Friday, Mike Tyson will go up to fight in a ring at 58 years of age. The last time he did it was in November 2020, an exhibition against Roy Jones Jr. during the COVID-19 pandemic. An event that was sensational, as it provided the necessary entertainment for humanity right in the darkest moments of this global crisis.
It was an exhibition with a lot of respect from one to the other, and with a clear understanding of not seeking to hurt each other.
His last real fight was in 2005. He lost by knockout in a pitiful and regrettable way, as his physical and mental state was very far from that Tyson who fiercely dominated the heavyweights in the 80s.
This new adventure against Jake Paul will have the world waiting this Friday, November 15, at the Dallas Cowboys stadium, and broadcast on Netflix during its inaugural event of our sport.
There have always been fights or exhibitions in the ring that have brought together diverse worlds; there have been great events, some embarrassing, and others very successful.
Muhammad Ali traveled to Japan in 1976 to face the famous local wrestler Antonio Inoki, who did not get up from the canvas in 15 long rounds, kicking Ali on the legs, throughout one of the most boring shows in history.
The movie star who was quite the gigolo, Mickey Rourke, took up boxing with passion and did a handful of fights in Japan, and retired undefeated. All his bouts were questioned as the opponents were of ridiculous level.
The great defensive end of the Dallas Cowboys, Ed “Too Tall” Jones, held six professional fights and won them all, but preferred to return to the field.
The home run sensation, José Canseco, was not so lucky and was knocked out embarrassingly when he got into the ring against a skinny guy.
Boxing has become very popular with the presence of personalities in recent years.
The Paul brothers, Logan and Jake, are social media influencers who have taken the sport of fists as the great means to reach millions of fans.
And so many other similar cases in various countries like the Spanish Ibai Llanos, who last July filled the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium with a boxing event for influencers.
The difference is that the Pauls, especially Jake, have taken the sport with the absolute seriousness that boxing deserves, as it is a contact sport. Jake has been training for many years with responsibility and dedication and has won 10 fights in the professional arena with only one loss to Tyson Fury’s brother.
Mike Tyson has a record of 50-6, but none of that counts now as he has not fought for 20 years. He has had a life with all kinds of ups and downs, but just by showing a 10-second clip of him savagely hitting the bag or the mitts he sends the minds of millions of people to dreamland. Will Iron Mike be able to land a brutal blow on Jake and knock him out?
God willing, everything goes well this Friday. Mike Tyson’s legacy is so important for boxing.
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The world boxing community has united in an exemplary way to support Israel Vázquez, who has been suffering from multiple sclerosis for years, and was diagnosed with cancer last week.
Israel is one of the great Mexican champions. He starred in one of the most important trilogies in history against Rafael Márquez. Both saw their careers shortened by the brutality of those fights. Israel lost his right eye and hung up the gloves.
We are all with Israel Vázquez. Whoever wants to join, simply visit this link to make a donation that is so needed right now: https://www.gofundme.com/f/stand-with-israel-vasquez-against-cancer
Did you know that…?
Multivision, a TV Network in Mexico, created, together with the World Boxing Council, the tournament called the Golden Belt. A great concept with boxers in four and six rounds, with direct elimination, and the finals were great events. Corona was the sponsor that allowed this tremendous concept. The tournament produced 17 world champions in its 20 years of existence. Israel Vazquez was crowned champion of the Gold Belt, in 1995.
Today’s anecdote
My dad was at his desk when he received a call from Don King. After minutes of exchanges, he hung up and told me: “My son: Don King finally accepted my recommendation.
A millionaire from New York named Donald Trump offered him a big contract to fight Mike Tyson in Atlantic City, and Don didn’t want to, because he is very comfortable in Las Vegas. “I told him not to be stupid, to take that option, and Las Vegas will come back with a better offer in the future.”
And so it was. Don King obtained five percent of the MGM stock so that Tyson could return after his five fights in Trump Plaza, New Jersey.
I appreciate your comments at [email protected].
