Mexico City - February 7, 2005.
From WBC President Jose Sulaiman:
On February 14, the World Boxing Council will be celebrating its 42nd anniversary, as it was founded on February 14, 1963 in Mexico City with Mr. Onslow Fane, from Great Britain, as the founding President.
For this important occasion, I am asking all the members of the Board of Governors, all the presidents of the boxing confederations, and all the presidents of the national boxing commissions to organize a brunch, luncheon, dinner, or ceremony to celebrate our 42nd anniversary.
This will show the world the unity of an organization that has risen up and continued to be the most respected and credible organization in the world of boxing today.
I would appreciate from the bottom of my heart the enthusiasm and dedication in your efforts to celebrate this coming February 14.
The World Boxing Council declares Wednesday, February 2, a day of world mourning in boxing for the sad death of the extraordinary heavyweight champion, Max Schmeling of Germany, who will continue to be a legend forever.
Boxing in the 20th Century was led to greatness by two unforgettable immortals: Schmeling and Muhammad Ali, who wrote golden pages of drama, prestige, courage and talent in world boxing.
A number of members of the WBC and I were planning to travel to Hamburg, Germany, this year on September 27 to participate in the homage to be rendered to Mr. Schmeling on the occasion of his 100th birthday. Now, after his unfortunate death, the WBC will place a championship belt on the coffin at his funeral.
In 1994, the World Boxing Council presented Max Schmeling with the prestigious green-gold WBC belt. May this extraordinary boxer rest in peace!
Some interesting data and numbers on the outstanding life and career of this great boxer:
He was born on September 28, 1905, in Klein Luckaw, Brandenburg, Germany. His full name was Maximilian Adolph Otto Siegfred Schmeling. His boxing career started in 1924, and in 1948 he fought his last bout. At the time of his retirement, he had accumulated a record of 70 fights, of which he won 39 by knockout, 14 by points, and three by foul. He had four draws, and was defeated five times by decision and five times by knockout. He gained most of his fame when he defeated Joe Louis, who was by then considered invincible, and who in turn defeated Schmeling years after in their rematch.
Max Schmeling, under the management of Joe Jacobs, won the world heavyweight belt on June 12, 1930 with a victory by foul in the fourth round over Jack Sharkey.
Upon his retirement - after serving his country in World War II - he became a successful entrepreneur. He was also a kind and true friend to Joe Louis, whom he helped in his time of need. Max Schmeling helped many other people, as well.
In 1971, he was decorated with the Honor Federal Cross of Germany. In 1979 he was received by the President of the United States, Jimmy Carter, and in 1987 the press elected him as “The Most Important Athlete of All Time in Germany.” A sports pavilion in Berlin was named after him, as well as the most famous and modern boxing arena in Germany.
“The Night of the Champions” that the WBC has been planning will take place in Las Vegas at the end of April or during the first two weeks of May. The WBC is planning to have all of the current WBC champions present, and as many as possible of the past champions. The backbone and solid foundation of the WBC remain mainly in the WBC world champions, most of whom have been recognized as the best in boxing in the second half of the 20th century.
Upcoming World Championship Fights:
February 10 - Lemoore, California - Super Bantamweight World Championship
Champion Oscar Larios (54-3-1, 35 KOs, Guadalajara, Mexico) vs
Wayne McCullough (WBC No. 9 at 126 pounds, 27-4, 18 KOs, Las Vegas, Nevada)
February 19 - Los Angeles, California - Middleweight World Championship
Champion Bernard Hopkins (45-2-1, 32 KOs, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) vs
Howard Eastman (WBC No. 2, 40-1, 35 KOs, Battersea, England)
March 5 - Las Vegas, Nevada - Lightweight World Championship
Champion Jose Luis Castillo (51-6-1, 45 KOs, Mexicali, Mexico) vs
Julio Diaz (30-2, 22 KOs, Coachella, California)
March 12 - Zwickau, Germany - Super Middleweight World Championship
Champion Markus Beyer (31-2, 12 KOs, Eriabrunn, Germany) vs
Interim champion Danny Green (19-1, 18 KOs, New South Wales, Australia)
April 2 - Site TBA - Cruiserweight World Championship
WBC champion Wayne Braithwaite (21-0, 17 KOs, Brooklyn, New York) vs
WBA champion Jean-Marc Mormeck (30-2, 21 KOs, Noisy Le Grand, France)
April 4 - Osaka, Japan - Strawweight World Championship
Champion Isaac Bustos (24-6-3, 13 KOs, Mexico City, Mexico) vs
Katsunari Takayama (WBC No. 14, 14-1, 7 KOs, Osaka, Japan)
April 16 - Site TBA - Vacant Light Heavyweight World Championship
Paul Briggs (WBC No. 1, 23-1, 17 KOs, Queensland, Australia) vs
Tomasz Adamek (WBC No. 4, 28-0, 19 KOs, Zywiec, Poland)
April 16 - Tokyo, Japan - Bantamweight World Championship
Champion Veeraphol Nakhonluang (46-1-2, 32 KOs, Nakhon Ratchaseema, Thailand) vs
Hozumi Hasegawa (WBC No. 4, 17-2, 5 KOs, Hyogo, Japan)
World Championship Results:
February 5 - St. Louis, Missouri - Welterweight World Championship
Zab Judah (33-2, 24 KOs, Brooklyn, New York) TKO9 Cory Spinks (34-3, 11 KOs, St. Louis, Missouri)
The rematch of their close and exciting fight in April, 2004, drew an announced paid attendance of 20, 655 to the Savvis Center. Spinks, making his third defense of the WBC title, frustrated Judah with movement in the early rounds, but Judah started to find his range in the sixth. Judah staggered Spinks in the last seconds of the seventh round - Spinks’s gloves touched the canvas, but it was ruled to be after the bell had ended the round, and not a knockdown. Judah rocked Spinks midway through the eighth, then scored a knockdown in the ninth - Spinks got up, but Judah staggered him with a series of punches, and referee Armando Garcia stopped the fight at 2:49. After eight rounds, Judah led by scores of 77-75, 78-74, 79-73.
In a heavyweight title eliminator, WBC No. 3-ranked Monte Barrett, 31-3, with 16 knockouts, of Jamaica, Queens, New York, scored a ninth-round TKO against No. 4 ranked Owen Beck, 24-1, with 18 knockouts, of Nashville, Tennessee. It was an exciting fight - Barrett started fast and scored a knockdown in the second round, but was cut over his left eye in the fourth and Beck rallied in the middle rounds. Barrett came on strongly in the ninth - he staggered Beck with a left hook, then scored two knockdowns and referee Jay Nady stopped the fight without a count at 2:52.
January 30 - Seoul, Korea - Featherweight World Championship
Injin Chi (30-2-1, 18 KOs, Seoul, Korea) W12 Tommy Browne (17-3-1, 7 KOs, New South Wales, Australia)
Chi made his second successful title defense with a 12-round unanimous decision win against Browne at the Grand Hilton Hotel. Chi staggered Browne in the first round, and cut him over the right eye in the sixth. Brown, only 21 years old and the WBC Youth featherweight champion, gave a determined effort and rallied in the middle rounds, but Chi finished the fight strongly and won by scores of 117-112, 119-108, 120-107. The referee was Jose Cobain.
January 29 - Atlantic City, New Jersey - Super Lightweight World Championship
Arturo Gatti (39-6, 30 KOs, Jersey City, New Jersey) KO5 James Leija (47-7-2, 19 KOs, San Antonio, Texas)
Gatti succesfully defended the title for the second time with an impressive performance against former super featherweight world champion Leija in front of an announced capacity crowd of 12,599 at Boardwalk Hall. Leija gave a strong effort, but Gatti boxed effectively, scored two knockdowns in the fifth round, and Leija was counted out by referee Earl Brown at 1:48. A champion in and out of the ring, Leija, now 38 years old, announced his retirement last week.
January 29 - Osaka, Japan - Flyweight World Championship
Pongsaklek Wonjongkam (55-2, 29 KOs, Nakhon Ratchaseema, Thailand) TKO5 Noriyuki Komatsu (19-2-5, 8 KOs, Osaka, Japan)
Wonjongkam was very sharp and impressive, and retained the title with a TKO victory against former OPBF flyweight champion Komatsu. Wonjongkam cut Komatsu over the left eye and scored a knockdown in the second round. Wonjongkam scored two more knockdowns in the fifth - Komatsu got up both times, but referee Malcolm Bulner stopped the fight at 1:48. It was the eleventh successful title defense for Wonjongkam, who has held the title since March, 2001.
