2021 The Year of Boxing: Marvelous memories of the Second WBC Women’s Convention 

 It`s been five years since that memorable early Autumn morning,  when the WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán and Lonnie Ali inaugurated the second Women’s World Boxing Council Convention,  held at the Gran Hotel in Tijuana, Baja California.

The Great Hall was crowded with dozens of female boxers from all over the world,  who with their great enthusiasm plus friendship, made this second edition of the Convention a unique and unforgettable event. What a lineup with:  Jackie Nava, Zulina Muñoz, Kenia Enriquez, Alejandra Jimenez, Maricela Cornejo, Martha Salazar, Erica Farias, Alicia Ashley, Anabel Ortiz, Raja Amasheh, Irma García, Jazmín Rivas, Yuko Kuroki, Ibeth Zamora, Delfine Persoon, Esmeralda Moreno, Ava Knight, Mikaela Lauren, Yulihan Luna, Catherine Phiri, Ana Arrazola and Melissa McMorrow. 

During the opening ceremony, the WBC recognized Lonnie Ali,  who`s  husband was the Great Muhammad Ali, for her extraordinary humanitarian aid with an emblematic Green and Gold Belt.  Super bantamweight Champion back then, Alicia Ashley, received a Guinness Record certificate, recognizing her as the eldest fighter to win a world title,  and Jackie Nava, she was recognized for her great career.

Another memorable moment, was the beautiful interpretation of the children of Casa Hogar Santa Teresita of “Imagine” by John Lennon, as well as our traditional convention song “We are the world”.

In this second edition of the Women’s Convention, there was also action inside the ring,  as the then bantamweight world champion, Yazmín “La Rusita” Rivas, tried to defend her belt against the African Catherine Phiri.

Then the traditional gala dinner at the Casa Bayolan restaurant, where with opera music and traditional Mexican mariachi, introducing  he Best of the Year awards. They were presented by Malte Muller Michaelis, Chairman of the Women’s Committee, Jill Diamond President of WBC Cares, Mauricio Sualaimán, President of the WBC and former world champion, Antonio DeMarco.

Fighter of the Year: Delfine Persoon

Fight of the Year: Erika Farías vs. Klara Svensson

Dramatic Fight of the Year: Ibeth Zamora vs. Esmeralda Moreno

Knockout of the Year: Yazmin Rivas KO6 Simone da Silva Duarte

Event of the Year: Mikaela Lauren vs. Jennifer Retzke

Revelation of the Year: Yuko Kuroki

Prospect of the Year: Marisela Cornejo

Comeback of the Year: Alicia Ashley

In addition, special recognition was given to the Mexican promoter, Fernando Beltran, and all his staff from Zanfer, including Guillermo Brito, Alejandro Brito, Arturo Brito and Rafael Soto, for their dedication and commitment which made this Convention a tremendous success.

For the WBC it has been a priority to help develop women’s boxing. The proof of this was this outstanding Convention in September 2014 at Playa del Carmen. It all started as the dream of our Lifetime President José Sulaimán, then continued, advanced and strengthened by his son, Mauricio. In 2014, The Master of Ceremonies was Jimmy Lennon, during the inauguration ceremony. 

Since then, the WBC has organized a Women`s Convention every two years, in order to bring together great stars of women’s boxing, with the avowed aim of providing guidelines that derive improvements, leading to ever greater success. 

So far, we have held three conventions, the first, in Playa del Carmen (2014), the second in Tijuana (2016) and the third that took us in 2018 to Manila, Philippines.