WBC closes 52nd annual convention

A busy final day of topics took place in Las Vegas today at the Mirage Hotel and Casino as the WBC wound down it’s 52nd annual convention. The day opened up with a mini birthday celebration for WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman (December 30). Legal counsel Robert Lenhardt presented the early birthday boy with some mementos of his favorite NFL team- a Dallas Cowboys spit bucket, Dallas Cowboys box of tissues (to drown his sorrows) and a rosary to pray for the last two weeks of the season that could’ve been!

Referee Frank Garza of the WBC Low Blow Band which performed at last night’s talent show, presented his own personal guitar- signed by nearly twenty world champions to the birthday boy, who in turned pledged $15,000 toward the WBC retirement fund for boxers.

Kunming, China has been all but confirmed as the site of the 2015 WBC convention. Chinese Boxing Federation president Lin Tao accepted the passing of the WBC flag as representative of the next host city (much like the Olympic tradition).

The first big order of the day was the ongoing battle with AIBA over it’s involvement in professional boxing and handling of amateur boxers and Olympic hopefuls. Several members of the WBC board (SonstoneKashiba of Cameroon, CelestinoMindra of Ghana, Juan Ramon Guanzon of Philippines), members of the assembly (Stephen Blea- former AIBA member and amateur trainer, Boxu Potts- former promoter from Trinidad, Dave Allison- head of Combative Sports Association in Canada, Joel Campuzano- head of Illinois State Athletic Commission) and others spoke out in favor of various measures to counter AIBA’s recent activities. In forming The World Series of Boxing, AIBA has amateur fighters engage in pro style bouts, without headgear, while still maintaining their amateur status. AIBA has also allegedly encouraged Olympic hopefuls to sign contracts to fight professionally under AIBA after their amateur careers are over, if those fighters want the chance to compete in the Olympic games. The WBC passed a resolution to create an amateur committee to move forward with progressing amateur boxing outside the auspices of AIBA. The WBC has created an amateur world championship belt prototype and is looking into staging amateur tournaments around the world.

WBC Ring Officials Committee chair Hubert Minn presented a rating feedback innovation which allows ring officials participating in the seminars to rate the presentations and offer suggestion for improving those seminars. This years seminars received a 4.3 rating out of a possible 5.

Minn also presented ring official Harold Laurens of Curacao with a plaque honoring his attendance of 26 consecutive conventions.

WBC Ring Officials Committee Vice Chair Steve Morrow presented a “challenge coin” to the board of directors. The concept goes back to World War I, when members of an elite group or organization all carried the same coin emblazoned with a certain logo, etc. This particular coin will have the WBC emblem on one side and the NABF on the flip side. The coins will sell for $20 each. Juan Sanchez, the WBC treasurer promptly ordered one hundred for members of the WBC board of governors and the staff.

The WBC has pledged financial assistance to the sculptors of a Julio Cesar Chavez statue, tentatively scheduled to be erected in the legend’s hometown of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico on February 5, 2015.

Larry Holmes has also reached out and the WBC has pledged to assist in efforts to erect a statue of the “Easton Assassin” in his hometown.

WBC chief special counsel Robert Lenhardt has been elected to General Secretary and his assistant Alberto Leon has been elevated to Lenhardt’s now former position.

Two new potential boxing hotbeds may be on the horizon. Apparently Norway has just moved to legalize professional boxing, which means that WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO women’s welterweight champion Cecilia Braekhus can now fight professionally in her home country. Also, with the possibility of the lifting of U.S. economic sanctions against Cuba, the boxing floodgates could open in both directions in and out of the island nation. The WBC president requested committees from Europe and the Caribbean to look into immediate future activity in both nations.

Ring Officials Communication advisor Bob Yalen submitted his report on the WBC glove certification program progress. Currently the WBC is working with nearly sixty glove manufacturers to standardize gloves used in WBC title fights as far as materials used, accuracy of glove weights, laces or other securing options, tracking codes to ensure no more than 60 rounds of use per pair of gloves, attached thumbs, etc.

The WBC medical advisory board and the ARP (Association of Ringside Physicians) will have a joint congress in Chicago next October as reported by WBC Medical chair Dr. Paul Wallace. Dr. Wallace also reported on the progress made during the nine hours of training to become VADA (Voluntary Anti Doping Agency) specimen collectors during this convention.

The WBC has teamed up with Balfour to craft WBC championship rings for their champs.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman took the time to thank the board of governors, the legion of volunteers, office staff, ring officials, press, and all delegates for their support during the past year. He reached out to referee Vic Drakulich who is fighting his own battle with a rare form of abdominal Cancer. “We know you’re a fighter Vic and the WBC family is with you all the way.”

Sulaiman officially closed the 52nd WBC convention, one day early and wished everyone a happy holiday season and looked forward to next year’s gathering in Kunming, China.