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Round 12: Canelo's Grand Performance
By Mauricio Sulaimán – Son of José Sulaimán – WBC President
Saul “Canelo” Álvarez achieved another resplendent glory
this past Saturday by dominating and overwhelming British
Callum Smith at the Alamodome in San Antonio. A superb
promotion with spectacular production, an extravaganza that
wraps up a complicated year for the world of sports, because
the activity for fans was completely shot down for several
months, fans suffered from not being able to watch any
sports around the world, eventually some sports began
activity without fans, we experienced enhanced production
through important innovations and the year is closing with
several major events held with fans in the stands under
strict safety protocols.
I would like to take this opportunity to recognize, applaud,
praise and thank the boxing promoters who have worked so
hard under extreme difficulties and uncertainty to keep
boxing alive. Behind every promotion there are real heroes
in their staff as they have passionately dedicated to attend
the many complications that promoting under Covid-19
protocols represent. To be in “The Bubble” is no fun, it is
quiet, lonely and challenging with much stress down to the
last minute before, during and after each event. Large
promotions or small shows, all have been of great importance
to keep boxing active providing opportunities to fighters to
earn a living and give entertainment to the fans around the
world. Same goes to the boxing commissions who have
performed and administered these events.
Canelo conquered the vacant super middleweight championship
of the World Boxing Council, thus achieving supreme triple
WBC champion status, adding this Green and Gold Belt to the
super welterweight and middleweight championships he had
achieved over the years. Canelo began his career and grew
through the WBC platform and its affiliated championships.
WBC Youth World champion, NABF and WBC Silver champion
served as his preparation to reach with maturity the world
stage.
The pandemic prevented Canelo to fight in the traditional 5
de Mayo and September 16 cards, then became a free agent and
with end of the year approaching, the fight vs. Callum Smith
was announced. Smith undefeated, a talented and experienced
fighter, presented a great threat to the pound-for-pound
king.
The images from the press conference, the official weigh-in,
and before the ringing of the bell were truly dramatic.
Callum Smith seemed to be a looming giant when they measured
together with an extraordinary advantage of 18 centimeters
in height.
The bell rang and lofty Smith dominated the first round with
the use of the jab due to a considerable wingspan. Canelo
immediately established his fight plan and managed to weave
inside Smith's guard and systematically beat him up with
spectacular crunching body shots, uppercuts, various
combinations that even led to Smith's corner to consider for
the fight to end after a torrid 10th round. Smith was
exceptionally brave and managed to finish the contest on his
feet. Canelo was declared the winner by unanimous decision,
Canelo sensational, on top of the world!
That same night, WBC world champion Ilunga Makabu defended
his cruiserweight championship by knocking out Nigerian
Durodola. This card included four African Boxing Union
championship fights, making this event a memorable one in
the same country and city that experienced the most
spectacular promotion in boxing history, since it was in
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly known as
Zaire), where Don King staged the legendary "Rumble in the
Jungle" where Muhammad Ali sensationally knocked out George
Foreman to regain his WBC world heavyweight championship in
1974.
Finally, also on the night of the 19th, at the Mohegan Sun
Casino in Connecticut, the interim world bantamweight
championship fight took place and the Filipino Reymart
Gaballo surprised Emmanuel Rodriguez by winning a split
decision.
A very particular fight since originally the world
bantamweight champion, Nordine Oubaali, was going to defend
against mandatory contender Nonito Donaire. Unfortunately,
Oubaali contracted Covid in France and that left him off the
card, the WBC agreed to order an interim title for Donaire
to fight Rodríguez and just a week before the fight Donaire
also tested positive for Covid. Approval was given for the
Filipino to enter as a last-minute substitute, and that was
how Reymart presented a special present to his idol, Manny
Pacquiao, with the WBC world championship on his birthday.
This is how we close fateful 2020, an indescribable year in
many ways, but one of learning for all. Reinventing
ourselves was the only way to survive, and I am very proud
of the work that our WBC has accomplished in all fields of
life. Canelo Álvarez pointed out with his great performance
what we must all do. Work with passion, maintain discipline
and confidence, always go forward and have patience for
things to happen.
Did you know that ... Very few Mexican fighters have managed
to win WBC world championships in three different divisions,
and Canelo Alvarez has joined this distinguished list in
which we find the following legendary champions:
Julio Cesar Chávez
Erik “El Terrible” Morales
Jorge “Travieso” Arce
Humberto “Zorrita” Soto
Today's anecdote ... Christmas was the most special time for
my dad. That was the moment when we could enjoy being united
as a family. My parents always made sure that we spent Holy
Night together and thus we all waited for the magic of
Christmas. All gathered at home and the traditional story
that Don José told us year after year, the path of the four
wise men on their journey to Bethlehem to find baby Jesus.
There were four of them, but on the way one stayed to help
those in need. The fourth Wise Man is Santa Claus. After the
delicious dinner that my Mom, Dońa Martha, the best mother
in the world, offered us, something wonderful happened,
something that marked us for life; My father would always
leave our house with a large plate of food, drove to our
factory to bring dinner to the night watchman, to include
him in this magical night. In the spirit of Christmas, no
one was ever left out, or ever will be.
The Sulaimán Saldívar family is always of service to others
and that is how we learned it, with the caring example of
Don José and Dońa Martha.
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