World Boxing Council (WBC) president Jose Sulaiman yesterday described the Philippines as a ?cathedral of boxing,? naming past great pugilists such as Pancho Villa and Flash Elorde as the country?s proud contribution to boxing.
Sulaiman said Manny Pacquiao as a phenomenon has inherited that legacy and has placed the country in the world map.
Sulaiman planed in from Mexico via Hong Kong at 4:45 pm yesterday to preside over the 45th WBC Convention at the Manila Hotel to be attended by some 700 delegates from 168 countries.
He came on a wheelchair pushed by his son Mauricio, but when he saw the phalanx of photographers waiting for him at the arrival area, Sulaiman waved off his son and walked along with Games and Amusement Board chairman Eric Buhain to the Dignitaries Lounges for a short press conference.
Still ebullient despite his difficulty in walking, Sulaiman said that during the early days of the Council, boxing was a savage sport but without sanction.
?It was legal,? he said, referring to the freedom to do mayhem in the ring.
Since then, however, Sulaiman said the WBC has done so many things through the years that boxing today, during its long history, is at the top in safety.
?However, boxing is a challenging sport, we have many things to do and you just wait until my opening speech,? he said.
Asked about the possibility of a Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez rematch, Sulaiman said that all he has read in the papers is what was being said by Pacquiao?s handlers, Freddie Roach and Bob Arum.
?I see that Manny has nothing to say, everything about him is being said by Roach and Arum and I?m waiting to see Manny will step forward and say: ?This is what I wanna do, that?s what I?m waiting for.?
Buhain said that during the seven-day convention, they will discuss four main topics such as the ratings of boxers, rules, the medical aspects of safey and the issue of defense.
He said that he lobbied to have the honor of hosting the events to fall to the Philippines and said that the next convention would be held in China.
