WBC must set aside financial greed and strip Mayweather of his title

I read this earlier and thought id share it with you guys.

Anno Domini Two Thousand and Twelve dawns with a shadow cast over boxing by, of all people, the most prestigious of the world championship sanctioning bodies.

The hard old game has enough detractors without the president of the WBC, Jose Sulaiman, inferring that Floyd Mayweather's battering of the mother of his children is not a serious enough crime to warrant him being stripped of his welterweight title.

WBC regulations require the removal of their belt from a convicted felon, which Floyd Jnr became when he agreed a plea bargain under which he begins a three-month spell in prison starting on January 6.

Sulaiman then described Mayweather's offence as 'not a big crime,' to the outrage of not only women's activists but right-minded citizens the world over.

As the furore grew Sulaiman, as a Mexican a native Spanish speaker, tried to excuse himself by claiming clumsiness with the English language and citing his support of women's rights.

Yet still he failed to trigger the stripping of Mayweather, agreeing only to review the situation this month while committing the WBC to a seemingly unqualified support of fighters.

The suspicion has to be that the WBC are more concerned with the significant sanctioning fees they receive from fights involving Mayweather, the highest revenue generator on pay-per-view television in America.

One high-profile Latin American boxer, Argentina's Sergio Martinez, has registered his personal protest by dumping the WBC Diamond belt, a virtually meaningless invention conveniently designed to disguise the fact that the No 1 middleweight on the planet is not the world champion of that organisation.

The more significant Ring magazine world middleweight belt will be on the line when Martinez defends against Birmingham's Matthew Macklin in New York's Madison Square Garden on March 17. Martinez is also angered by the WBC's failure to enforce his mandatory challenge to official WBC champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr.

However, the future risk to his career if he is cold-shouldered by that organisation validates his stand as one of principle. Quite rightly it is one which is attracting massive public support, to the mounting embarrassment of the WBC.

Mayweather is tuned into the gangsta rap culture but there is nothing macho about hitting women, least of all when it is done by a prize-fighter.

Furthermore in most civilised countries, Britain included, a boxer's fists are deemed to be deadly weapons and their use against civilians outside the ring considered a serious assault. Mayweather escaped several years in prison by accepting his 90 days behind bars.

Martinez-Macklin is one of several exciting events in the offing in 2012, despite Mayweather's sentence delaying his super-fight with Manny Pacquiao once again and even though there were a rash of world title defeats for British boxers in the year just ended.

Dereck Chisora gets a crack at Vitali Klitschko's world heavyweight title on February 18, perhaps with David Haye following his fellow Londoner to a football ground in Germany in mid-summer.

David Price will push himself into that reckoning assuming he defeats John McDermott in a final British title eliminator on January 21.

BoxNation, Frank Warren's new dedicated TV channel, is given a boost not only by broadcasting Klitschko-Chisora but in finding itself the only network screening the fights of British world champions.

Nathan Cleverly goes into a homecoming defence of his light-heavyweight title in Cardiff on February 25 hoping to return to Wales in the summer for a huge championship unification fight against veteran American legend Bernard Hopkins in the Millennium Stadium.

Ricky Burns defends his lightweight title in Scotland in March.

Carl Froch and Amir Khan, no matter what the outcome of his appeal against controversial defeat by Lamont Peterson, will be back seeking to regain their world titles this year.

Internationally, Froch's conqueror Andre Ward will be striving to rise towards pound-for-pound greatness while the PacMan will resist that by strutting his stuff, with or without Mayweather.

Which turns this ring full circle. If boxing is to maximise all these gifts and continue its climb from crisis to renaissance it must conduct its business in a manner so civilised that it dignifies the violence in the ring.

If not the threat from the abolitionists, particularly among the opportunist politicians in the US senate, will become ever greater.

It is essential that the WBC set aside financial greed and any celebrity preference for Mayweather. It is their duty to abide by their own rules, strip Mayweather and thereby make it clear beyond any doubt that boxing respects the rule of law, the dignity of man and the protection of women.

Once Mayweather comes out of the slammer he should be free to resume his career and be reinstated as high in the rankings as the WBC and all the other alphabelt bodies see fit. As should any culprit in any walk of live once he has served his time.

Preferably, he will then train himself towards that pound-for-pound showdown with Pacquaio. Meanwhile, he has forfeited his right to be a champion.

And since he is technically inactive for the time being, this column hereby removes Floyd Jnr from our ranking of the top ten boxers in the world until he returns to the ring.

source: Daily Mail

Spot on, and if true those are disgraceful comments by Sulaiman.

Thanks for sharing, nando.

Not only will it not happen. It shouldn't happen. What Floyd did was nasty. What Don Jose said was disgraceful. But titles should be won and lost inside the ring.

Had a sneaky feeling Azania would play the role of Devil's Advocate and, as usual, tell us all that we need to give the fighter in question a break.

Just like jobs are won and lost inside the workplace, Azania. However, should an office worker be jailed then in all likelihood he would lose his job. The fact that he committed the crime outside of the workplace is sod all to do with it.

As usual, you are talking total and utter garbage where this fighter is concerned.

88Chris05 wrote:Had a sneaky feeling Azania would play the role of Devil's Advocate and, as usual, tell us all that we need to give the fighter in question a break.

I'm not asking anyone to give floyd a break. Call me old school, but I think titles should be won and lost in the ring. Moreover the WBC belt means little to Floyd. Everyone knows him and he makes the belt not the other way around. The belt doesn't legitimise him. He legitimises the belt. Regardless of that, to claim the title you have to beat the defending champion.

Fists of Fury wrote:Just like jobs are won and lost inside the workplace, Azania. However, should an office worker be jailed then in all likelihood he would lose his job. The fact that he committed the crime outside of the workplace is sod all to do with it.

As usual, you are talking total and utter garbage where this fighter is concerned.

Boxing is not an office job.

azania wrote:to claim the title you have to beat the defending champion.

If only it were like that...

Was going so well until you read "Source: Daily Mail" at the bottom...

But in all honesty Mayweather should be stripped. Most probably will not happen as it makes too much sense.

I don't give a monkey's what it is, it is still a job, and its employees (so to speak) are still subject to the law. As such, the organisation should show a modicum of respect for once and not associate themselves with a criminal until he has served his time. It isn't good for the sport and is unfortunately just further evidence of their greed.

What're you doing on here Fists? We're talking about sport not this "Cricket" thing.

The WBC is acting on it's own interests plain and simple, not because they feel that is the morally correct thing to do, all they want is for Floyd to come out of jail and defend his WBC belt (Hopefully against a particular Fillipino) and rub themselves dry with the money made from the sanctioning fees made from the bout.

Azania, if the WBC have a policy in place which says that champion status is removed if the fighter in question is indicted as a criminal, then where is the issue? Whether or not you agree with that rule is a separate point. Mayweather shouldn't have extra leeway because he's a cash cow. The rule is there, in place, and if the WBC don't enforce that rule it will do little to quell the idea that the sanctioning bodies basically just do what they like while selling themselves to anyone who they see as a money maker.

AlexHuckerby wrote:What're you doing on here Fists? We're talking about sport not this "Cricket" thing.

The WBC is acting on it's own interests plain and simple, not because they feel that is the morally correct thing to do, all they want is for Floyd to come out of jail and defend his WBC belt (Hopefully against a particular Fillipino) and rub themselves dry with the money made from the sanctioning fees made from the bout.

A little disheartened with boxing at the moment, mate. Things like this, along with the sickening amount of titles and politics preventing top fights from happening have made me want to take a step away from the sport. It just isn't what it once was. Documentaries such as the Benn McClellan one the other week reminded me of that, with everyone watching fights on terrestrial television, exciting fights being made etc. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't perfect by any means, and plenty of fights that should have been made weren't, but it has gone beyond a joke now and is quite frankly embarassing.

Union Cane wrote:

azania wrote:to claim the title you have to beat the defending champion.

If only it were like that...

One can only wish.

AlexHuckerby wrote:Was going so well until you read "Source: Daily Mail" at the bottom...

But in all honesty Mayweather should be stripped. Most probably will not happen as it makes too much sense.

It was lifted from yahoo sports pages where they were very critical of Jose Suleiman.

Chris is spot on, if it is in the rules of the WBC they should be enforced, a fighters talent or ability to shift PPV's is irrelevant, whether the rule is correct is a different issue.

Oooh goody, another 'Az Against the World' thread.

Told the mods this should have a dedicated section, a la D4's "Manny News".

rowley wrote:Chris is spot on, if it is in the rules of the WBC they should be enforced, a fighters talent or ability to shift PPV's is irrelevant, whether the rule is correct is a different issue.

Nail - Head.

Az, your constant "Against the grain" thought process although usually sparks debate (that much cannot be questioned) does become rather tiresome.

88Chris05 wrote:Azania, if the WBC have a policy in place which says that champion status is removed if the fighter in question is indicted as a criminal, then where is the issue? Whether or not you agree with that rule is a separate point. Mayweather shouldn't have extra leeway because he's a cash cow. The rule is there, in place, and if the WBC don't enforce that rule it will do little to quell the idea that the sanctioning bodies basically just do what they like while selling themselves to anyone who they see as a money maker.

Is that the WBC rule? If it is then of course Floyd should be stripped of the title. Didn't realise it was the ruling.

Aside I believe its a silly rule. Boxers are hardly angels. Not condoning Mayweather's actions, I still believe titles should be won in the ring.

You should have read the article before commenting then, Az.

Fail to see how it is silly. Boxer or not the law is there for a reason. Break it and you forego many of the rights you would usually be afforded.

I initially read it on yahoo but more or less scan read it. Obviously missed the WBC ruling.

AlexHuckerby wrote:

rowley wrote:Chris is spot on, if it is in the rules of the WBC they should be enforced, a fighters talent or ability to shift PPV's is irrelevant, whether the rule is correct is a different issue.

Nail - Head.

Az, your constant "Against the grain" thought process although usually sparks debate (that much cannot be questioned) does become rather tiresome.

Against the grain? I posted first before other opinions were known. Hardly deliberately going against the grain.

But more to the point. If it is the rules, then it should be enforced regardless of who the boxer is.

Fists of Fury wrote:

AlexHuckerby wrote:What're you doing on here Fists? We're talking about sport not this "Cricket" thing.

The WBC is acting on it's own interests plain and simple, not because they feel that is the morally correct thing to do, all they want is for Floyd to come out of jail and defend his WBC belt (Hopefully against a particular Fillipino) and rub themselves dry with the money made from the sanctioning fees made from the bout.

A little disheartened with boxing at the moment, mate. Things like this, along with the sickening amount of titles and politics preventing top fights from happening have made me want to take a step away from the sport. It just isn't what it once was. Documentaries such as the Benn McClellan one the other week reminded me of that, with everyone watching fights on terrestrial television, exciting fights being made etc. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't perfect by any means, and plenty of fights that should have been made weren't, but it has gone beyond a joke now and is quite frankly embarassing.

Don't lose hope Fists! More and more people are recognising that there are too many belts and that the sport is bogged down by politics - small steps will happen to rectify this. We just need a super fight to get more people on the bandwagon. Things will change but it will take a while. Keep the faith!

WBC is only prestigious by history, at present it's no less of a shambles than the WBO and WBA in some ways. Sulaiman seems to be grinding it into the ground a little more every new year. What next, a Bronze title? Several months hiding your title in probably the most comfortable prison money can buy should rightly be disallowed, even PBF ought to be aware of the minimum responsibility a champion should have outside the ring if he wants to stay champion.

IBF is the organisation that seems the least tainted now, as far as I'm aware they at least still have one unique title.

after the wbc strip him, i hope some 7 foot warden strips him and sticks him in the shower with a load of his gangster fanboys who are twice his size.

IBF by far and away the best. I mean the WBC will not order the 2 champs (MArtinez and Chavez) to fight each other which is a complete joke. Bob Arum has obviously paid Suliman a few quid.

Getting pretty bored of boxing now. Tend to just take an interest in the top fighters and concentrate nationally. The British scene is not without issues, but it is a damn side better than the world scene.

Lance wrote:after the wbc strip him, i hope some 7 foot warden strips him and sticks him in the shower with a load of his gangster fanboys who are twice his size.

Some people on here seem to think that floyd maywether would beat up any non boxing person even if that person is 6 ft 3 and 15 stone of muscle (floyd is like 5 ft8).