THE WBC convention got underway inside the Mirage in Las Vegas with an enormous A-list of past and present champions.
The opening ceremony was dominated by the passing of former president Jose Sulaiman, who died this year, and several videos documenting his life and times were shared in front of a congregation of hundreds.
Showtime’s Jimmy Lennon was the MC and Sugar Ray Leonard and Jeff Fenech were among several who were invited on stage to share their memories of Sulaiman.
The incredible guest list included the four kings, Roberto Duran, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns and Leonard as well as Iran Barkley, Michael Spinks, Mike McCallum, Evander Holyfield, Julio Cesar Chavez, Pernell Whitaker, Erik Morales, Miguel Cotto, Carlos Zarate, Kostya Tszyu, Ricardo Lopez and many, many more.
The British contingent, including Board of Control officials Charles Giles and Robert Smith, includes Joe Calzaghe, Ricky Hatton, John H Stracey and George Groves.
Don King has been here, chortling about his man, Bermane Stiverne fighting Deontay Wilder on January 17, and Riddick Bowe, who once famously tossed one of this organisations belts into a dust bin, is also present.
Autograph hunters are having a field day.
Leon Spinks, wheelchair bound and looking frail, is here after recently being in hospital and Iran Barkley is looking trim but fit after a recent hospital stay, too.
Other familiar faces, and not so familiar, include Lamont Brewster, Marvin Camel, Manuel Charr,Marcus Beyer, Yoan Pablo Hernandez, Rakhim Chakaiev, Roman Gonzalez and Micky Ward.
By the time the convention ends on Thursday, it would have hosted more than 110 past or current world champions.
