History in Cancun Indice Muhammad Ali: “The King of Boxing” Leading article by Mauricio sulaimán On the ring: Santa Cruz vs Mares Vintage hook to the liver by Jose Sulaiman González vs Hashimoto Grandstand finale to brilliantly memorable 2015 Future fights Comunales vs Tejada Mrdjenovich vs matthysse Nery vs Moreno Rivas vs Sandoval Sal Sánchez vs Wilfredo Gómez WBC Cares - Heroes vs Legends by Jill Diamond “Time to say goodbye ” by Juan Ignacio Pereyra Knowing a champion: Deontay Wilder Directorio: “Somewhere in time” by James Blears “WBC Boxing World” is the official “Who is next??” by Jamie Parry y Robbie Oliver magazine of the World Boxing Council. Origins of boxing divisions Executive Director Mauricio Sulaimán. Events: Subdirector Cotto vs Canelo - promotional tour Víctor Silva. Marketing Manager Digital town José Antonio Arreola Sulaimán Wayne McCullough day Managing Editor Francisco Posada Toledo Celebration of a Champion- Salvador Sanchez Traducción NVBHOF 3rd annual induction ceremony Paul Landeros / James Blears Design Director Carlos Zarate presents his autobiography Alaín M. Flores "success and ko" Photos An spectacular first invitational amateur show in Naoki Fukuda Los Angeles Sumio Yamada Alma Montiel WBC Champions José Rodríguez Ask the WBC Contributing Editors Víctor Cota (WBC Historian) José Antonio Arreola Sulaiman Juan Pereira James Blears Jamie Parry and Robbie Oliver Paulina Brindis in Cancun MUHAMMAD ALÍ HONORED BY THE WBC AS “THE KING OF BOXING” By Francisco Posada Toledo December, 2012, The Greatest, who in his glorious era, defeated Sony Liston, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and so many others, received a prolonged and deeply emotional standing ovation, at the Arena Oasis Cancun. On that bright, sunny, marvelous and so memorable day in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Don Jose Sulaiman, WBC lifetime President, led the celebration ceremony at the WBC's 50th anniversary Convention. After receiving the WBC Diamond belt, the greatest award which is presented by the World The Pride of Louisville, Kentucky and The Boxing Council, Muhammad Ali's face was Champion of Champions was crowned as “King of illuminated with a radiant smile, as he raised his Boxing” by Ukrainian, Vitali Klitschko, who was at hand thanking his cheering adoring, enraptured, that time the undisputed WBC heavyweight fans, brilliantly concluding an unforgettable Champion. chapter in the history of our noble sport. Dear friends I am extremely happy to share with you the official "WBC BOXEO MUNDIAL" digital magazine. It has taken years to try to find the ways to implement and I am proud of the WBC staff who has taken this project and has shaped into a reality. We will be doing a monthly edition of the magazine and look to eventually be able to come out with a printed version. This magazine is edited in English and Spanish and we have secured a distribution in Mexico to 3 million users with an agreement with a mobile phone company. We look forward for your comments, ideas and feedback about our publication. Sincere regards. Mauricio Sulaimán LEO SANTA CRUZ CONQUERED THE WBC DIAMOND BELT By Francisco Posada Toledo At the Staples Center of Los Angeles, Leo “Terremoto“ standing ovation!!! Santa Cruz conserved his undefeated record and Who could have conquered the prestigious World Boxing Council ever thought it Diamond Belt, but it took a momumental career best would go the effort to hold back a riptide and defeat an intrepid, distance...but it ferocious brave as a lion Abner Mares, in a ring war, did. Bile spent and which is a firm candidate for Fight of the Year! fury sated, Leo calmly goes over Whenever two Mexican warriors clash... fever pitch to Abner's corner, expectation, mustard keen red hot anticipation and both somehow electric tension, are chile pepper elements and this one find the strength was no exception! Yet...it's sheer intensity proved the from some exception! reserves of depleted energy An accidental clash of heads in round three, gashes resevoirs to hug, Abner's right brow, but his corner managed to factor this grinning almost in, staunching the bleeding, so it didn't significantly shyly at the hamper him for the rest of an incredible fight. greatness it took two of them to The crowd roar and rise as one in the final rounds as make, as the both tremendous fighters briefly embrace and then atmosphere still straight back to war. Each tosses caution to the wind crackles with the and slugs toe toe for a seeming eternity.... which must lingering whiff of have lasted thirty pulsating seconds in the final cordite? coutdown, in truly amazing and electric action, willing on tired, aching muscles for an absolute grandstand finale. The judges´scorecards are: 117-111, 114-114 and 115-113, What an utterly amazing fight topped off by a so Leo wins a majority decision and conquers the WBC thunderous, prolonged and thoroughly deserved Diamond Belt. The saga of two mighty lefts with only one fighter superbly conditioned 22 year old Julio, had shaken the left....Julio “Pollito“ Ceja. effects off of the mighty blow in the sixty seconds of vital respite. A spectacular fifth round TKO of fellow Mexican Hugo “Cuatito" Ruis to win the WBC interim super And then after working his way back in the fourth, one bantamweight championship. But only after surviving an round later, his own left blockbuster, which landed with almighty scare in the third when a little twin left hook, one almighty and audible thud, instantly sending Hugo decked him and he got up, to somehow survive a down like a felled spruce. Somehow he managed to get veritable barnstorm iflurry and flutter during the thirty up but simply couldn't stave off the irrestible follow up seconds, leading to the sweet music of the bell. attack, which saw him trapped and briefly battered, until the Referee smartly moved in with arms spread, to head The taller Hugo had been countering and patiently eying off the risk of impending disaster. the main chance, until an opening appeared and he landing a picture perfect left. At six years younger, a "POLLITO" CEJA IS THE NEW WBC INTERIM SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION Then came The governor of Quintana Roo, Felix Gonzalez Canto, willing to give the people of his state the memorable fight of Rudy Lopez for the WBC title. He paid paid the costs of free TV to broadcast at 1 am. The soaring television ratings opened the eyes of the network Television is certainly a that shared the vision and faith of phenomenon that has completely promoter Fernando Beltran to changed the habits of human life- return free boxing to Mexico. It Who could have ever imagined produced such high viewng years ago watching on TV that figures, that now three television historical fight of Muhammad Ali networks have opened their vs. George Foreman in screens to boxing. Namely: TV Zaire...the very heart of Africa. Azteca, Televisa and Cadena The TV also imposes customs. Tres, An interesting social example, is when the whole neighborhood We can’t deny the enormous met in the homes of friends to importance of television in comfortably enjoy each others' boxing. It's also crucial for the company, accompanied with a growing popularity of idols in the beer or two. Those nostalgic making. The World Boxing Saturday boxing nights , also Council promised a major changed boxing, converting many campaign to give Mexico a thousands to millions of fans in prominent place in the world of their own homes.I still professional boxing and this is remember in the early days of being achieved. A great card television (1950) when the people loaded with passion in Leon, gathered in the streets to watch Guanajuato, with Julio Cesar boxing on TV´s that furniture Chavez Jr. Several cards in stores kept lit at night. Cancun, with the influence of local hero Rudy Lopez and How can I forget going to watch especially the card “History in the great fight between Raul Mexico”, where a WBC Macias vs Ernesto Parra in heavyweight world title bout was Mexico City. I had to leave my presented. Wife at the hotel on our honeymoon!. This fight meant the Mexican boxing is going through retirement in boxing of both a period of transition. Many of the fighters. greats of the past decade have retired or are about to, like JC But the TV also has its problems. Chavez, Erik Morales, Marco My teacher and close friend Antonio Barrera, Chiquita Arturo “Cuyo” Hernandez, the Gonzalez, Daniel Zaragoza... Samuel Peter vs Oleg Maskaev - 8mar2008 greatest manager in the history of among others. New idols are One of the first aired fights on open mexican TV Mexico, always said that needed, and their fights will now after years of PPV someday TV will kill boxing- be broadcast by open televisión, something that I hardly refuted. It again heralding a Golden era in took me a few years to realize these new times. that Cuyo was right. Televisa of Mexico achieved a world record to go live, with open boxing, every Saturday night for 47 years, only three shy of a half century! Then came to TV the soccer lovers, just to send only boxing to Pay Per View, removing the people who have no money to pay to be able to watch the boxing cards. That started up a monumental crisis, forcing Mexican fighters to emigrate. As leader of the sport I spent many years asking and insisting to bring television back because boxing was dying. JHONNY HAD A MAGNIFICENT DEBUT AS SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT Gonzalez stops Hashimoto in two Former WBC featherweight Champion Jhonny Gonzalez (58-9, 49 KOs) scored a second round TKO over Kazuki Hashimoto (11-5, 7 KOs) on Saturday night at the Auditorio Bicentenario in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico.