By Mauricio SulaimánSon of José Sulaimán / President of the WBC
Sitting within the ready room to start my return residence after a marathon and unforgettable December. I depart Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for Dubai, with a four-hour stopover to make a journey to my beloved Mexico, which can final 22 hours as a result of a stopover in Barcelona. I can arrive on the twenty third at evening to have fun the long-awaited Christmas with my household.
I left on December third, as a result of we had our annual conference in Hamburg, I already informed you final week how nice it was, however the emotion, the recollections and the a number of messages that I proceed to obtain preserve alive the sensation of greatness that was achieved in Germany. As soon as once more Id like to precise my gratitude to Ismail Ozen, CEO of Universum, Ahmet Oener, and Malte Muller for the unimaginable effort to place the WBC annual conference collectively in Germany, to the WBC employees who labored tirelessly to attend each side, and the WBC members and visitors which made this among the best ever.
I arrived exhausted in Riyadh, however feeling the environment that was generated by the long-awaited rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury made my tiredness disappear.
The overwhelming majority of the world’s promoters have been current, the 4 presidents of the organizations have been current, and in only a few days, a collection of occasions served to shut with a flourish 2024, some of the vital years within the historical past of boxing.
A gathering was held between the aforementioned and His Excellency Turki Alalshikh to debate the state of our sport and attempt to align everybody’s targets within the seek for unity and cooperation for improvement at a worldwide stage.
The Riyadh Season WBC Grand Prix was ratified, which can perform 5 boxing playing cards within the kingdom of Saudi Arabia throughout 2025. A complete of 128 boxers, 32 in every of the 4 divisions (featherweight, tremendous light-weight, middleweight, and heavyweight) in a sort of world cup for rising boxers to be the following figures of the longer term. This was one of many newest goals of my pricey father, Jose Sulaiman, and now could be a actuality.
The brand new period of The Ring journal was formally launched, which was acquired by a gaggle from this area beneath the renewed imaginative and prescient and management of HE Turki Alalshikh, which seeks to place it with the recognition of yesteryear. The Ring carries the historical past of our sport, as The Ring Document e-book, which for many years carried the historical past of all fighters’ exercise, and the journal bringing leisure and data to followers worldwide even earlier than radio, tv, fax, web, and social media. It was a spectacular gala with the presence of figures comparable to Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, Cuba Gooding Jr., Neymar Jr., Oscar de la Hoya, Roberto Durán, and numerous extra personalities.
The press convention was quick, however the face-to-face was spectacular. One thing by no means seen earlier than occurred, Usyk and Fury did it, and it lasted 14 minutes! Excessive stress, one trying on the different and vice versa, and after a number of makes an attempt to separate them with out taking a step again, Fury exploded with verbal assaults that generated pushing and shoving and the necessity to push them again with the assistance of their groups.
The weigh-in gave a stunning determine and led everybody to invest. Fury weighed 281 kilos, and Usyk 227, a distinction of 54 kilos.
The day of the combat on the Kingdom Area arrived, with a spectacular manufacturing and a protracted undercard lineup. An unbelievable drumming efficiency of the legendary boxing music, Eye of the Tiger, adopted by the normal Candy Caroline music, got here the anthems and the fighters’ exit to the ring.
The bell rang and the world was watching with excessive expectations after a brutal traditional again in Might. The combat was extraordinarily shut. It was extremely technical battle of few strategic punches, protection, ring generalship and some explosive exchanges. Most rounds have been razor-thin shut. Fury would dominate the actions, however then Usyk got here again with sturdy mixtures. The judges awarded a unanimous determination with the previous saying, “To beat the champion you need to persuade and depart little question.”
Usyk has established himself because the executioner of the British. He knocked out Tony Bellew. He dethroned and beat Anthony Joshua in a rematch. He defeated Daniel Dubois and beat Fury twice. These information place Usyk inside a really choose record of the very best pound-for-pound, and he closed a beautiful yr for Ukraine when it comes to boxing, to present pleasure to a folks harm by an invasion that’s about to show three years previous. The World Boxing Council on behalf of all boxers and promoters has donated this yr $250,000 by means of the Holy Father Francis, exactly to assist youngsters in that nation.
Do you know that…?
In 1980, world heavyweight champion Larry Holmes traveled to Mexico with Don King for the WBC world conference.
The undefeated big, Gerry Cooney, who was often known as The Nice White Hope, confirmed up.
To everybody’s shock, the boxers acquired right into a scuffle within the foyer of the Aristos Lodge within the Zona Rosa, and a scandal broke out. Due to this fact, Don José instantly stepped in to attempt to separate them. However immediately, a proper hook from Cooney crossed him simply as he was getting in between the 2. He didn’t fall to the canvas and there was no eight-count, however he did confess to us that he noticed stars for a few days.
Immediately’s anecdote
Christmas has arrived, probably the most stunning time of the yr, a time that for our Sulaimán Saldívar household has at all times been greater than particular.
My dad and mom at all times tried to make it magical. As youngsters, it was showering us with presents and scrumptious dinners at all times ready by my mom. Then Lucy and Claudia helped out, and Pepe’s marshmellow salad, my brother’s traditional, and the late nights of all the chums of the six youngsters who got here to have fun till the sunshine of the solar got here up. What by no means failed, till Don José’s final Christmas, was the story of Santa Claus and the Three Smart Males.
First he informed it to us youngsters, then to youngsters and grandchildren, and it was at all times as if it have been the primary time we heard it. The story says that in actuality, there have been 4 Smart Males touring to greet the brand new born following the star of Belem. In the course of the journey, one of many 4 determined to remain and assist the so many alongside the best way. It seems that the fourth was Santa Claus, who till this present day continues to indicate in each single residence to carry happiness, hope and pleasure to the youngsters of the world.
Might this Christmas be enlightened by the presence of Santa, the heat and love of God within the firm of your households and family members to organize for 2025 which will definitely be the very best yr of our lives.
