BOXING is an extraordinary sport, both in terms of the magnetism inside the ring and the nonsense outside of it.
Those brave enough to step through the ropes embody a remarkable blend of physical prowess, mental fortitude, and competitive spirit, all of which remain fundamental to a fighter’s makeup.
And then, on the opposite end of the spectrum, a parade of men in blazers – often with dollar signs in their eyes – offer a complete juxtaposition, in many ways, but are nonetheless in charge; or rather, they hold a degree of influence.
Naturally, the decisions they make are almost entirely motivated by money, so much so that a level of common sense rarely enters the equation.
And if there was ever a reminder of how such decisions come to pass, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman has delivered it – wearing a typically unapologetic grin across his face – in emphatic fashion.
According to the sanctioning body chief and a heap of reports, eight-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao will return to the ring later this year.
The 46-year-old’s last outing – an exhibition against Japanese kickboxer Rukiya Anpo – made for sobering viewing, to say the least, in a bout where a previous version of the boxing legend would have halted proceedings – even under such ‘non-competitive’ circumstances – in double-quick time.
But while, on that occasion, ‘Pac Man’ was saved from further embarrassment by the lacklustre nature of his contest, it would appear that, this time around, he is gearing up for a vastly different challenge.
His next opponent, WBC world welterweight champion Mario Barrios, remains far removed from being placed in the bracket of a world-beater.
But even so, the fact that Pacquiao will soon enter a professional ring is more than enough to raise alarm bells.
The culprit responsible – or at least, one of them – for allowing such a farcical event to take place is, of course, Sulaiman.
It is fair to say that his green and gold strap carries a tremendous amount of weight, as the majority of fighters, it seems, wish to follow in the footsteps of previous champions who once held the WBC title.
Yet, despite its decorated lineage, the WBC—as an organisation, that is—never fails to amaze even the most desensitised fans with its mystifying approach to the sport.
For Sulaiman, like anyone else operating in boxing, a fighter’s safety must always be paramount.
That much appears to be true—for the most part, at least—with the WBC. While many will disagree with its decision-making, the sanctioning body has nonetheless made a conscious effort to improve the sport, in Sulaiman’s view.
His stance on 12, three-minute rounds in women’s boxing, for instance, is based largely on the lack of evidence supporting the longer format.
According to Sulaiman, the WBC will only sanction 10, two-minute rounds for women, citing safety issues as its primary reason.
While that decision remains problematic to some, Sulaiman’s justification unquestionably comes from a place of genuine concern.
However, that same attitude seems to have eluded him more recently, with the WBC boss seemingly oblivious to the safety concerns surrounding the return of the faded Filipino icon.
