Sulaiman Apologizes To Warren, Talks Khan

By James Blears

WBC President Jose Sulaiman has apologized to promoter Frank Warren about the micky taking verbal jab, in which he jested that WBA/WBC super middleweight champ Mikkel Kessler could beat his fighter, WBO titleholder Joe Calzaghe, with one arm tied behind his back.

Don Jose stressed he was only joking, and acknowledged that this had brought down the  wrath of Frank on his head.

Don Jose grinned: “He devastated me in the press. And I respect Frank Warren, because he’s defending his Champion. But he should also think that sometimes, he has made good money with the WBC. So he should respect the WBC.”

It now very much looks like the much anticipated between the two undefeated Super Middleweight Champions, will take place in Britain, rather than Denmark.

The Millennium Stadium on Joe’s home turf, would be the dream venue. But negotiations with its owners are still bogged down. If this doesn’t happen, then another venue like the smaller 02 Arena in London, could be chosen.

And Don Jose couldn’t resist pointing out: “Joe Calzaghe has been a champion of the world, highly respected in Europe, fighting at home. If Mikkel Kessler has decided that he wants to go out to Calzaghe’s home, it’s because Kessler believes that even there he can beat him.”

Sulaiman is advising rising star Amir Khan to temper his prodigious talent with a finishing touch of patience.

Silver Medal Olympian Amir who’s still only twenty, fights Willie Limond on Saturday at the O2 Arena in London for the Commonwealth Lightweight title.

It’ll be fight number thirteen for the Bolton Thunderbolt, who’s undefeated. It’ll be fight number thirty for Willie, who’s only defeat came in 2003 in a bout against Alex Arthur.

Significantly the WBC ranks challenger Amir at number eighteen in its ratings for the Lightweight Division. While Willie languishes at number thirty.

Acknowledging Amir’s prodigious talents Don Jose is urging the youngster to listen to his Promoter and add some masterstrokes to the canvass. Don Jose commented:

“Frank Warren is an experienced guy, and even though he likes to get lot of bums for his fighters, still, he manages them well.  I believe Amir should wait a little bit…not too much…and then go for the world title. But if Frank Warren is telling him to wait, then he should wait.”

A number of great fighters have briefly shone brightly, and then burned out before their time, like Wilfredo Benitez. But Don Jose doesn’t subscribe to this point of view, countering: “It all depends on the fighter and challenger. But if Amir is so desperate, he should go for it, after one or two more fights.

“But Amir should also understand that Frank Warren has forgotten what he has not learned yet. So he should follow the experience, and especially someone like Warren who wants to create gold mines. And if he sees in him a gold mine, he’s not going to risk him.”

On the other hand Don Jose praised Amir’s obvious and single minded determination to fulfill his destiny. He said:

“Positive minds, are the minds of successful people.  Whenever you have your mind on something and you devote totally to it, you’ll get  it.  But positivity must be combined with intelligence and experience.”