This is the first of a three – part exclusive interview with World Boxing Council president and International Boxing Hall of Fame Member Jose Sulaiman from his executive offices in Mexico City Mexico.

Q: What seems to be the problem with the WBO, Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto
getting together on November 14?

JS: I have no idea about this problem, but I would like to know.

Q: What are the most important issues facing the WBC today?

JS: 1. The rebirth of fatal accidents in boxing, (not in WBC fights, though).
2. The financial crisis that has reduced the number of title bouts.
3. The reluctance of a few boxing commissions to give any standing to the WBC, even
when we own our WBC trade mark, but we deeply appreciate those many which
behave in the most cooperating and amicable way.
4. The lack of opportunities for many promoters by not receiving support from TV, and
the fact that boxing can not be practically promoted without TV today.

Q: What are some of the things the WBC is doing but not getting credit for?

JS: Nothing positive done by the WBC is getting some credit by some media, not all, when
the WBC has absolutely implemented so many safety rules that has changed boxing
from a legalized act of savages, to the more humanistic sport of today – one example
is that only last week a 4 round boxer died, but his family was helped with a $25,000
from the WBC’s Life Insurance program that covers with $200,000 the champion and
challenger, and with $25,000 all other boxers included in the card.

Q: Is the WBC’s sanction fee capped, or can it rise based on a fighter’s overages
from pay-per-view revenue?

JS: The WBC is not getting a fair shake from some, but not all in the USA. Many
promoters find the way to evade paying the correct WBC sanction fees. I would put
Japan, its commission and promoters as the most rightly respondent to the WBC
regulations, commitments, which I place as an example to the world. Perhaps most others don’t understand the financial commitments in a 164 nations affiliated organization and the so many indigent ex – boxers in the world, to mention only one.

Q: Do you see more tournament-style events to follow if the Super- Middleweight
Tournament on Showtime is successful?

JS: Yes, boxing needs promotional ingenuity and these tournaments give opportunities to
many promoters and not only a couple.

End of Part I. Part II scheduled for Tomorrow.