By Ronnie Nathanielsz
The late World Boxing Council president Don Jose Sulaiman is to be honored with the Posthumous National Award of Sports 2015 in recognition of his lifetime efforts in protecting as well as developing boxing.
The award will be presented by Mexico’s president Enrique Pena Nieto who recently visited the Philippines which hosted the Asia Pacific Economic Council meeting in Manila will present the award to Sulaiman’s widow, Martha Saldivar.
The WBC said it will be “ a very special and emotional ceremony”.
The announcement of the prestigious award was made by WBC President, Mauricio Sulaiman who was overwhelmingly endorsed to succeed his late father.
Mauricio said this special award “has touched the heart of all the Sulaiman Family and the family is so glad having Don Jose's humanity and all time greatness, spanning ages recognized.”
The WBC website reported that legends and eternal friends of Don Jose will attend, among them: George Foreman, Evander Holyfield, Julio Cesar Chavez, Roberto Duran, Mike Tyson, and still to confirm in case his agenda allows him, Oscar de la Hoya.
The award is an honor that “recognizes people and institutions that were in the spotlight of their respective vocations, excelling beyond all possible expectations.”
Don Jose Sulaiman succeeded the Philippines Justiniano Montano Jr as WBC president at the time the late Rodrigo “Rudy” Salud was secretary general and the eminent lawyer who crafted the WBC Constitution and By Laws.
Sulaiman also served under Salud who was head of the Ratings Committee and recalled during his last visit to Manila for the WBC Annual Convention that he had learned a lot from Salud.
Don Jose was a firm friend and supporter of Philippines and its boxers.