Round 12: Twelve Years Later, Don José is Still With Us

By Mauricio Sulaimán / Son of José Sulaimán / WBC President

Twelve years have passed since Don José left us. This past Friday, we celebrated a deeply moving Mass at the Old Basilica of Guadalupe, where the Sulaimán  family received outpourings of affection that are simply difficult to put into words. My father left an indelible mark on thousands of people; it is truly stirring to see how he continues to be remembered as someone who truly gave his life to serve others. To see a full Basilica on a Friday—a distant location for many—and to see people who traveled from abroad and various provincial cities, alongside the countless beautiful messages we received, felt as though the funeral Mass had only just taken place.

Thank you for always remembering and loving my father in this manner.

Don José climbed every rung of the boxing ladder. Starting as a child, he was an amateur fighter whose friends were all boxers. Once he hung up the gloves—realizing that competing wasn’t his calling—he dedicated himself to serving the sport from every imaginable front. He was a messenger for the boxing commission in Ciudad Valles, San Luis Potosí, as well as a ring announcer, timekeeper, judge, referee, medical assistant, and commission secretary. Later, he became a commissioner for the Ciudad Victoria Boxing Commission, its President, and eventually President of the National Federation of Boxing Commissions of the country of Mexico.

Destiny then led him to move Mexico City from the province to establish his business, partnership between an USA company Graphic Controls and creating its counterpart, Controles Gráficos, the medical products factory that remains in operation today. It was precisely upon his arrival in the city in 1963 that the World Boxing Council (WBC) was founded. There, he began his journey as an advisor, executive secretary, and general secretary, until he was eventually elected President in 1975.

His only condition for accepting the position was that he be allowed to lead a crusade to humanize boxing. He had lived through and witnessed the suffering of fighters in every aspect; there was no protection or care whatsoever. They were treated as mere merchandise to entertain the public and generate profits for promoters, sacrificing their physical well-being—and even their lives—only to be cast aside and forgotten in solitude after their years of action in the ring.

The World Boxing Council, our beloved WBC, is responsible for drastically changing the landscape to make this sport safer for those who enter the ring. The implementation of new rules required years of medical and scientific research and many conflicts to break long-standing customs and common practices. Ultimately, we can proudly say that many lives have been saved and the quality of life after boxing has improved.

We continue with the same determination day after day, seeking ways to improve conditions for fighters worldwide—not just for those fighting for WBC titles, but for anyone who steps into the ring.

A boxer is a gladiator; they are willing to do whatever it takes to earn a living. For that very reason, difficult decisions must be made to protect them, sometimes even from themselves.

This past week, during a boxing card in Mexico City, a fighter was scheduled to compete—a young man very dear to us who, unfortunately, is not in physical condition to step into the ring. He suffered a  detachment of the retina, such was reported and  confirmed by medical exams and experts. Even so, this young warrior was desperate to fight, driven by the need to earn money to support his family. Fortunately, the bout was stopped following a review of the situation by Don Ciro Nucci, President of the Mexico City Boxing Commission. The fighter will not be abandoned; we will explore options to correct his condition so that he may eventually return to the ring and if not, to support him to find ways to make a living.

Also this past week, it was announced that the great champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez will return to the ring for a card in Saudi Arabia on September 12. This is great news for Mexican and world boxing, as he is someone who has been at the pinnacle of the sport for the last fourteen years. He will surely return with full focus to prepare for this final stage of his career as the great champion he has always been.

José Sulaimán: 50 Years…

One of the most important rules introduced by the WBC was changing the official weigh-in to one day before the fight. For decades, it was held on the same day; fighters would step on the scale just hours before the bout. Boxers prepare for months to make weight, pushing their bodies to unimaginable limits with high levels of dehydration. Previously, they couldn’t recover in time to fight, leading to many tragedies and life-altering injuries. Today, since the early 90s, weighing in a day early allows them to eat, rest, have a restful sleep a night before, rehydrate, and replenish the encephalic fluid necessary to protect the brain.

Did you know…

Rubén “Púas” Olivares was one of the examples that led Don José to change this rule. “Púas” was set to fight in Mexicali, which is one of the hottest cities in the world, and had massive struggles making the bantamweight limit. The night before the weigh-in and fight, he woke up in desperation and drank an entire pitcher of water, gaining over six pounds  instantly. The next morning, they put him in a car under the scorching sun with the heater on, wrapped in plastic, layers of jackets, and blankets. “Púas” made weight and won the fight, but only after enduring an inhumane “living hell.”

TODAY’S ANECDOTE

Since its founding in 1963, the WBC has grown through the affiliation of countries across the globe. During a trip to Argentina, my father met a young journalist—a boxing lover and an enthusiast beyond measure. Eduardo Lamazón eventually moved to Mexico and dedicated 24 years of tireless service to walking alongside Don José in the long process of turning the WBC into the most important organization in the world.

Eduardo served as Executive Secretary, and one of his primary responsibilities was meticulously crafting the world rankings month after month. His loyalty to my father was always recognized; he was truly considered another son to Don José and Doña Martha.

I welcome your comments at contact@wbcboxing.com