WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has criticized the WBA for trying to drive unified super-lightweight champion Josh Taylor into a compulsory bout with Alberto Puello.
Subsequently, Taylor handed again the WBA title however will now face WBC obligatory challenger Jose Zepeda subsequent.
Sulaiman mentioned a gathering between 4 sanctioning our bodies – WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO – in Puerto Rico on the WBO government committee in Puerto Rico earlier within the 12 months was used to debate how greatest to deal with unified champions to ensure that the load courses to have one acknowledged champion.
“It went very nicely, however issues occur,” lamented Sulaiman to BoxingScene.com. “Very regrettably the state of affairs has taken a flip on this means so there’s no extra unified champion at super-lightweight and we transfer on and we’ll see what occurs. Taylor deserves recognition. He has been an amazing fighter, a warrior and we’re very pleased with Josh Taylor, our champion and we have now the battle towards Jose Zepeda arising and we’ll await the time to deal with that battle. It’s totally unlucky as a result of that’s what everybody talks about. Everybody needs to have one champion for every division. The fact is there are 4 organizations, each with totally different guidelines, totally different procedures, and we had what I believed was an excellent assembly with the 4 presidents sitting down discussing particularly the matter of unified champions and the way troublesome it’s to take care of [them] with out interfering.
“The issue comes with the obligatory fights for a champion, so you probably have a champion with 4 belts he, in principle, could be doing obligatory after obligatory after obligatory after which that cycle another time. We mentioned a means of doing eliminations between our mandatories and having a unified obligatory for the undisputed champion, or you probably have two belts or three belts, the identical course of, to be able to hold the extent of opposition as excessive as potential and to maintain unified and undisputed champions. We sat down on the desk and put out for example the super-lightweight title and it was completely agreed that the WBO challenger [Jack] Catterall was subsequent, that the WBC Jose Zepeda was subsequent, after which the IBF, so it was very clear. It was an settlement, all of us understood and we shook palms on that particular state of affairs solely to search out out of the blue the order comes for a battle towards somebody that they determined to place as a compulsory for the WBA. They performed a handbag bid, that had a $200,000 provide which, are you able to think about Josh Taylor having to battle for $120,000 or one thing like that? So it was very unlucky and now Josh Taylor shouldn’t be undisputed.”
Sulaiman used sturdy phrases to lambast the WBA’s maneuvers, saying, “If there isn’t any honor, no religion, no will on the choices and proposals, it’s very troublesome to administrate a number of championship fighters,” however he nonetheless will attempt to work with the opposite sanctioning our bodies on unification bouts and with unified champions.
Though he put out a powerful assertion concerning the WBA, he has not reached out to Gilberto Mendoza on the Taylor challenge.
“I don’t want to speak,” Sulaiman went on. “There’s no want to speak. We had an settlement. It was clear. All people was there, there’s no want to speak. This isn’t the primary time they break agreements, so it’s simply irritating. I believe the general public deserves to know why Josh Taylor shouldn’t be an undisputed champion at the moment.”
What many can’t perceive is why boxing hasn’t acquired behind Jack Catterall and his request for a rematch for a battle many felt he gained. The WBC moved him up of their rankings, mentioned Sulaiman, after the Taylor battle, however the WBC nonetheless insisted on making Zepeda subsequent.
“Individuals need to see a rematch,” Sulaiman admitted. “It was a controversial battle. We rank Catterall extremely within the WBC now he’s not WBO champion [didn’t win] however this division has many nice fights.”
A lot of boxing’s ills may presumably be solved by an umbrella group. Think about the sanctioning our bodies all having to share rankings and having to work collectively.
“It’s very troublesome,” Sulaiman continued. “It’s a dream and it’s not potential to make. Boxing is the one sport wherein the organizations don’t management the business-side of the game. FIFA, UEFA, NFL, NBA, these are the leagues that different sports activities management the business-side. They management the franchises, they’re groups which might be bought, they management the TV rights, sponsorship, in order that’s how they’re capable of have one situation. However in boxing the organizations are solely required for the medicals and the administrations of the divisions. Those controlling the enterprise are the promoters… It is a very totally different platform from different sports activities.”
One of many males on the high of the game is the WBC’s heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, who says he’s retired however many assume will battle once more. The WBC president is not going to drive Fury’s hand and can give him the time he must choose a call about his future.
“There’s no particular time frame,” Sulaiman mentioned, when requested whether or not how lengthy he would give Fury. “I spoke to him this week, he’s on vacation, trying nice and we’re going to speak in a couple of days and we’re going to 100% help no matter is his determination. If he decides to retire from boxing, that may be a dream come true, as a result of to retire on the high with cash, with well being, with household, with a superb future doing issues, that may be a dream for an administrator like me. My father [Jose] at all times suffered to see nice fighters falling into the lure of fame and glory and all that comes from that after which find yourself in a nasty state of affairs, so if he [Fury] makes an announcement and is a job mannequin, we’ll help him. If he needs to proceed combating, we’ll help him as nicely.”
Sulaiman needs Fury to be proud of a remaining determination, and he would additionally welcome him having the possibility to unify the titles at heavyweight. First, Oleksandr Usyk should defend towards former champion Anthony Joshua for the opposite belts, however with Fury lately defeating the WBC’s obligatory Dillian Whyte, the WBC gained’t put stress on him to face anybody else within the close to future.
“He’s [got] no obligatory so a unification could be large, to have him undisputed, that may be an excellent recognition to his profession and that’s what issues,” mentioned Sulaiman. “The WBC stood by him within the troublesome occasions, we have now seen him come into the glory and we’re with him. I believe he’s the most effective heavyweight. There’s nobody who can get near him at this level. He may go one combating unquestionably for a few years on the high and I like to see him battle but when he decides to retire I respect that.”
