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THE SQUARED RING

By Rich Mazon


SULAIMAN SHOULD SHARE MAYWEATHER?S 90 DAY JAIL SENTENCE FOR IGNORANCE

PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 28 Dec 2011



My Philboxing.com colleague Ron Nathanielsz in an article posted here in our site narrates Don Jose Sulaiman and the World Boxing Council?s unwillingness to strip Floyd Mayweather Junior of his welterweight belt. http://philboxing.com/news/story-64561.html

Mayweather who won the belt via a controversial knockout of Victor Ortiz in September of this year will be facing a maximum 90-day sentence in a county jail starting next week stemming from a domestic battery case that he was involved in with his former girlfriend in 2010.

Given his jail term and his inability to defend the belt, questions were asked of the WBC if Mayweather will be allowed to hang on to his belt. Sulaiman, who is the WBC president was quoted in the report as having said that the ?WBC officially has not decided anything yet.? He then noted as reported in that article that ..now hold on to this ?that ?while beating a lady is highly critical, it is not a major sin or crime.? HUH!!! WHAT!!! DID HE JUST SAY WHAT?

Is Sulaiman intoxicated when the interview was conducted from all the wine and spirits that was served him during the holidays? Was he awoken up on his sleep following a hearty Christmas banquet when they conducted that interview, thereby making his mind foggy from all the carbohydrates he consumed? Was he suffering from side effects of some medication that he is prescribed upon by his doctors, hence his response? Or maybe, he is just plain ignorant of a known law and fact of this civilized world of ours.

Where on earth is domestic violence, abuse and battery not a crime? Is Sulaiman living in a parallel universe where hooliganism is the law? The WBC is based in Mexico and in my research, I do not see that it is exempt from this horrible act. Nowhere in the world, in any country or in any society is beating, abusing and intimidating a woman an excusable action. It is an offense punishable by law in all legal abiding countries in the world.

Sulaiman?s reasoning is motivated by nothing less than money. Big money from a possible super fight featuring Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. If that fight happens and the WBC belt is on the line, not only will Mayweather and Pacquiao be earning the biggest paycheck in boxing, the WBC will also be rolling in dough because of the proposed mega fight. The WBC normally charges 3 percent of the fighter?s purse. Imagine 3 percent of 50 million dollars? That is 1.5 million of green dough. Mucho Dinero indeed!

He was further quoted in the article as saying that the WBC ?should not touch his (Mayweather?s) career or his title because we want him to fight (Manny) Pacquiao which is the fight that the world wants and perhaps the last boxing match of both.? REALLY? REALLY? This from an organization who has stripped fighter of belts like Medusa casting her spell on her victims. This from a boxing organization whose boxer rankings are more dubious than the ?dagdag-bawas? controversy in the Philippine elections of 2004.

The WBC Rules on Withdrawal or Suspension of its World Championship Status clearly states in Rule 1.25, Articles C and D that ? c) In the event that the holder of a WBC title is convicted and imprisoned for a crime involving moral turpitude, the WBC Board of Governors shall declare the champion?s title vacated and the procedure to fill the vacant title is set out in these Rules and Regulations.

And in Article D. of the same rule, it states that ?d) In the event any boxer rated for any WBC title has been convicted and imprisoned for a crime involving moral turpitude, such boxer will be dropped from the ratings.?

These are the WBC rules in writing, I guess it exists only to give legitimacy to its claim as an organization or a rule enforcing body of the sport. Because in the same report, Nathanielsz wrote that WBC executive secretary Mauricio Sulaiman, son of Jose Sulaiman, said that while the organization rules mandates it to strip Mayweather?s belt and rankings, they would stand by Mayweather. REALLY??? This is a classic example of setting the rules and breaking them.

Mauricio Sulaiman was quoted as having said in the same article that ?the WBC has always been in the corner of the boxer and the organization, (and) was created to protect fighters. Floyd is in voluntary defense stage and although there is no request for a fight in May, we will discuss his legal situation and try to achieve the most outcome for the fighter and the fans.? Again?in caps size. REALLY???

Can Mauricio Sulaiman repeat that same statement to fighters like Timothy Bradley, Phil Lo Greco and Nonito Donaire whom they have stripped and have threatened to strip of their WBC diadems. All because they have failed to meet the organization?s ?Rules and Regulations.? How is Mayweather Jr. different from them? How is his case which is a clear violation of the WBC rules exempted from the imposition of it? This is a clear case of favoritism and money , nothing else. And that is nowhere to be found in its by-laws. Well, not yet.

The WBC has always conducted its decision making in an arguable and absurd manner. They have long been criticized in the boxing community for such. Theirs despite its organization?s colorful history in the sport also has its suspect motives and purpose. Number one of it is?yes you guess it right. MONEY.
And none of it as clear as the Mexican skies as to what their stand and explanation is on this issue.

As much as the Mayweather issue is about boxing. In the more important picture It should not be as such alone. Anyone who lays a hand on a woman, beats, abuses and harasses a woman should get punished and reprimanded regardless of whoever you are and whatever your status in society is. It is a crime that has its punishable consequences. Mayweather Jr. learned it, Don Jose Sulaiman should too. No amount of money or opportunity is as important as the value of a woman in this world. Maybe its time that Don Jose at 80 years of age should start realizing it.

You can reach Rich Mazon at rrmaze24@aol.com for reactions to this article.



Click here for a complete listing of columns by this author.

Click here for a complete listing of this author's articles from different news sources.

 



 
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