Gelasio Pérez Huerta Recognized by the WBC in Coyoacán
During a great Martes de Café held in the Coyoacán Borough in Mexico City, the World Boxing Council rendered a well-deserved tribute to Gelasio Pérez Huerta, one of the most honorable and experienced figures in the history of international boxing officiating.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán, along with Coyoacán Mayor Giovanni Gutiérrez, presented a trophy and a commemorative plaque to Pérez Huerta, recognizing an impeccable career dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of fighters.
Gelasio Pérez Huerta is not just a referee; he is a man who lived boxing from all its facets. Before administering justice, he knew the rigor of the sport as a professional boxer, an experience that gave him the necessary sensitivity to understand a warrior’s limit in the ring.
His path as an international official began with a gala debut in Italy, marking the start of a career that would take him across five continents.
However, his name was etched in history on February 20th, 1993, when he had the honor of participating in the legendary event at the Estadio Azteca, in the historic victory of Julio César Chávez over Greg Haugen before more than 132,000 people.
Visibly moved, Gelasio Pérez Huerta dedicated words of gratitude to the organization that was his home for decades:
“I deeply thank Don José Sulaimán for the great opportunities he gave me to travel around the world and fulfill my role as a referee. I have always given my best and I am very moved by this tribute,” expressed the honoree.
For his part, Mauricio Sulaimán highlighted his human quality: “Gelasio is an exemplary referee. We thank him for the great moments he gave us in the ring, always with the boxer’s health as his absolute priority. He is, moreover, the best friend one can have.”
Based on his vast career, he is recognized as a master of officiating. His philosophy was always that of a “silent guardian”—one who knows how to intervene at the exact moment to avoid unnecessary punishment.
From his beginnings in neighborhood boxing to the grand cards of Las Vegas and Europe, Gelasio Pérez Huerta represents the ethics and passion that the WBC seeks to preserve in the sport.
