Round 12: The WBC Continues the Fight for the Good of the Sport
By Mauricio Sulaimán / Son of José Sulaimán / President of the WBC
It brings me great satisfaction to know that the WBC is stronger than ever. We continue to fight for justice in our sport with no other purpose than to help, protect, and respect the health, lives, and interests of the world’s boxers. We see with immense pride how the steps we have taken have yielded significant fruit; specifically, women have solidified their place in boxing.
Gabriela Fundora gave a testament to her greatness and proved exactly why women belong in the ring. On March 14, 2026, she retained her undisputed flyweight titles by defeating Colombia’s Viviana Ruiz via sixth-round technical knockout. It was a solid demonstration of how women have earned their space in a sport once conceived only for men.
We are adapting to new methods of global communication, where social media has taken a primary role in a changing world that demands immediate news. We have collaborators across the globe who are not just reporters, but WBC Ambassadors. They organize tournaments, social activations, and charitable events for WBC Cares.
Social media is responsible for distributing news of our global activity because, as you know, we do not stay confined to the ring. The WBC is the helping hand for those in need, and a large part of a boxer’s life happens outside the ropes. This is a way to sensitize the public to the positive side of our sport, as education remains one of the most powerful tools for societal growth. There is a very thin line between comments and interaction and then those who abuse this open space which can turn into deep sensitive topics.
Likewise, we have watched with great satisfaction as our WBC Green Belt Challenge, an amateur tournament that began in California, has flourished. The WBC created its amateur committee during those horrendous years of AIBA regime to provide support and activity to many countries, always respecting the autonomy of their national amateur / olympic style federations.
Among our amateur champions already transitioning into the professional ranks are Jesús “Chiquito” Haro (WBC Youth Champion), Crystek Bazaldua, Perla Bazaldua, Maya Hernández, Anthony Herrera, Roxie Verduzco, Joey Aboudy, Karlos Balderas, Chris Zavala, Marc Castro, Rommel Caballero, Avel Alva Jr., Mayra Ruiz, Steven Navarro, Ezequiel Matisse, and Leonardo Ruvalcaba; in Las Vegas, Dylan Capetillo and Curmel Moton, among others.
Under that same umbrella, the “Mike Tyson Invitational” in Las Vegas was a tournament organized by our great champion with a massive turnout of young boxers. Mike was right there with them, giving talks, advice, and guidance. He was a great inspiration for the little warriors who were thrilled to be with one of the greatest in history. Mike Tyson is the youngest world champion to ever be crowned; he had a relationship so close to my father that my father considered him another son.
He came to Mexico many times, and we helped him during times of financial difficulty by organizing events for him. He had dark chapters when society abuse hurt him brutally; he went to prison, and Don José visited him there. After three years, he emerged as a new man—different, with a much more spiritual and centered vision of life.
Today, the renewed Mike Tyson is an entrepreneur helping young people seek their future in the ring and reach their highest potential. He is giving back to boxing what the sport gave to him.
Amateur boxing is growing significantly, and Mexico has played a key role with the Amateur World Tournament held in Tijuana; as well as those organized in Uruguay with Sampson and Sergio Marquez. Spain with Miguel De Pablos. Argentina with Marcos Arienti, and in Brazil, among other countries.
Seeing how young winners of the amateur Green and Gold Belt carry their prize with such pride and dignity definitively crowns all the efforts to help create the dreams that will take them to the top.
St. Patrick’s Day is approaching, the most important holiday in Ireland—a country that has had a profound influence on boxing. We think of champions like Barry McGuigan, now a boxing promoter; Wayne McCullough, who was the first WBC champion in Irish history; Tyson Fury, that great force of nature who burst into the heavyweights with granite-like endurance and devastating power; Micky Ward, who engaged in tremendous wars with Arturo Gatti; and Katie Taylor, one of the greatest women to break through the sport, earning million-dollar purses and now announcing her retirement with a grand farewell fight in her home country of Ireland, in a massive stadium backed by her people.
DID YOU KNOW…
Mike Tyson is the youngest boxer to win the world heavyweight title at age 20. On November 22, 1986, he won the World Boxing Council title against Trevor Berbick. José Sulaimán held a deep affection for Mike Tyson and helped him during his darkest times.
TODAY’S ANECDOTE…
Mike Tyson loves children and animals; his love for pigeons is well-known. During a visit to his home, he took us to the garden where his loft is located and gave us a demonstration. He opened the cage and sent them into flight. With a long pole that had a sort of net at the tip, he moved it from right to left and back again, and the pigeons flew according to his directions. This moved him immensely; he celebrated with shouts and laughter at every formation the pigeons adopted in flight. It was a moment where he showed us, by example, how the most important things in life happen in those moments of total fulfillment: nothing mattered more than the flight of his pigeons.
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