Jose Sulaiman

The news released last week confirmed what I had previously said In this column, regarding the fact that the fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. would not be held in March as it was being announced; in my experience, it was not possible that a fight of such magnitude could be promoted in just 60 days, as Pacquiao wished, as he will be running for office looking to get a position in the Chamber of Deputies of the Philippines and will precisely end his campaign in May. What is truly embarrassing is to have seen the So-Circus-Like way of the negotiators, who made a circus out of boxing which is so dramatic, hurting the circus as well; being the circus the show I used to be fondest of in my childhood and teenage, and it still is the show I am fondest of.

All the steps taken were a true disaster; first between two contrary groups with highly boosted egos; then looking for other places to end up in the usual modern boxing venues, the Casinos in Las Vegas; after that, the sleazy arguments due to required anti-doping tests, in which Mayweather Jr. demanded Pacquiao periodical drug evaluations; Pacquiao has never tested positive, and Manny, instead of simply stepping forward and saying: Here I am, I will get tested, but now!!, decided to sue Mayweather Jr. and not to be tested.
Both have the right to demand conditions to be discussed and accepted or not; the negotiations were carried out by two promoters up in the air, with no participation of an international boxing organization whatsoever, as if the ones that have given modern boxing its structure were useless, but such organizations served to give them opportunities for their promotions at least for the last quarter of the century, and they have become wealthy due to such promotions; that could bring at least, a serious, sportsmanlike, necessary spirit and some respect; finally everything ended in meetings with no conclusion, with foul language and blaming each other, as it seems to be what always happens.

This fight MUST be held; the fans want it; it has to do with two boxers of the highest level of world recognition and two immortals for sure; Mayweather is an extraordinary unbeaten fighter in 40 bouts, with 25 knockouts, having won five world titles, authentic and undisputed, in different divisions in the most recognized organization in the world, the WBC; his victories, except for his first fight against Mexican fighter Jose Luis Castillo, were indisputably clear, even when he defeated idol Oscar De La Hoya, who practically was not able to touch him. On the other hand, Pacquiao, is recognized by the world as the best boxer of the present, also with his career made within the WBC, where he reached the summit to touch the sky with his hands, winning three great titles. That bout cannot be definitively cancelled, the negotiations will come back to be carried out around September, we will see; there are many, but many millions at stake, over 50 million dollars, enough for both of them to retire and laze around in a hammock, and live in music and show business for the rest of their lives.

Changing topics, the WBC cut the Wise Men Day bread roll with the kind reporters who get together every Tuesday during the weekly coffee sessions to talk about boxing with the President of the organization; all of them good people, boxing people, whose reports keep our sport in the top spot of popularity, at least for the last two years, with the extraordinary revival of Mexican boxing. Many memories came to my mind, recalling immortal men who used the pen, who through their writing, experience, inspiration, inventiveness, and analysis gave boxing an important place in the sports bibliography of our country; Antonio Huerta, giant Director of ESTO newspaper; Fray Nano, founder of LA AFICION newspaper and Teacher of Teachers; Antonio Andere, the greatest TV commentator ever, together with the also immortal Sony Alarcon; Jacobo Morett, devoted to the mysticism of journalism to inform the truth; Victor Cota, WBC Information and Statistics Director, since my first election and a boxing Bible; Javier Zea Salas, perhaps the one with the most boxing knowledge, the raciest one, the most provincial one and the most imaginative of all; Antonio Hernandez, a true expert and a permanent detractor and attacker of me, up to the end of his life, but despite such facts, I state my acknowledgement to a very good journalist; and Paco Malgesto, the king of Bullfighting, but someone who over 60 years ago pulled out of Raton Macias the immortal saying: I owe everything to my manager and the Virgin of Guadalupe, which is still said….. Flavio Zavala Millet, a super star writer; my admired Spanish Teacher and great boxing man, Jose Luis Valero; Jose Octavio Cano, Ramon Marquez, Rene Chambon, all of them great among the great, and if I go on. It would take me several pages with the names of those who have written the history of the sport of the people, our beloved sport.
May this page remain as a homage to those who, through their columns, filled my life with knowledge, motivation, enthusiasm, courage, sometimes uncertainty, but all of them as part of myself and people who left a shinny light of their passing through life as a full justification of having been born and lived in this glorious and beloved Mexican soil.
Thank you very much and….. See you next Sunday!!