Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Year of Memories Between the Ring and Faith
By Mauricio Sulaimán
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 21 Apr 2026
It has been one year since the passing of Pope Francis, just as he performed yet another of the many miracles that will undoubtedly lead to his canonization in the near future.
If we recall what was happening in mid-April 2025, the Holy Father was very ill; he was in intensive care, and the inevitable was expected at any moment. However, the miracle happened: Pope Francis recovered, and the world was able to hear his final message during the Easter Mass at St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, April 20, accompanied by a very emotional tour of the square that Resurrection Sunday. Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 AM the following day.
It also marks one year since the inauguration of the most important professional boxing tournament to ever exist: the Riyadh Season WBC Boxing Grand Prix, the World Professional Boxing Cup. This was one of the great dreams of my dear father, José Sulaimán, which became a reality thanks to the involvement of Turki Alalshikh, who agreed to host it in Saudi Arabia last year.
There were five stages, beginning in April and culminating in the grand final on December 20 in Riyadh.
This first stage, from April 17 to 20, was one of the greatest challenges we have ever managed to conquer. So much had to happen in order to hear the opening bell and start the World Cup: the registration and selection process for the 128 fighters (32 per division), followed by the evaluation, medical clearance, and licensing of each; in addition to processing visas, issuing airline tickets for more than 400 people, and managing all the ground logistics.
It was four days of monumental work: each morning, the weigh-in and medical check-ups for the 32 fighters of that day’s division took place, and after a quick breakfast, we would head to the arena to sanction the 16 fights, finishing at midnight.
This continued for four consecutive days—a heroic performance by all the teams involved: SELA, the local agency in charge of the event; DAZN, the platform responsible for producing the broadcast that reached the entire world; OPI, the boxing promotional company; NAS Medical services the agency which administered all medical mattersIBMC, the agency in charge of locker room and ringside management; SABC, the Saudi Arabian Boxing Commission; VADA performing out and in competition drug testing under the Clean Boxing Program and the entire WBC team, including supervisors, inspectors, judges, referees, and staff.
When the final bell rang, we all erupted in joy, and a phenomenon I had never seen before occurred: all the work teams got into the ring to celebrate with hugs, laughter, and tears—an epic moment that was repeated at the end of every stage.
This first stage took place right during Holy Week; we observed it in the best way possible, but we were submerged in tireless work. That night, we organized a farewell dinner where, despite being exhausted, we enjoyed sharing countless stories and anecdotes. Finally, the goodbye: heading to sleep for a few hours before starting the journey back home.
I will never forget the call I received a few hours after I had gone to bed: it was Salvatore Cherchi, the legendary Italian promoter and a very dear friend of mine, who was crying like a child, repeating over and over: “Pope Francis has died.”
The great happiness and celebration for the success of the Grand Prix were extinguished by the shocking news; it was a long and sad journey home.
Thanks to the invitation from my brother Héctor and our friendship with Adrián Pallarols, we had the fortune to experience unforgettable moments with the Holy Father Francis. Intimate encounters that marked my life and which I treasure in silence.
Pope Francis entrusted us, among other things, to promote values to the youth of the world through boxing, via the World Boxing Council. We have carried out this work with passion and dedication across many countries, with activations, activities, and actions that have undoubtedly touched thousands of people. Today, as the year of mourning ends, a new stage begins that we will implement across the entire WBC platform: to follow the wishes of Pope Francis, inspired by his love for life, for young people, for inclusion, and for mercy.
Did you know…?
We are very close to celebrating two historic anniversaries for humanity, and we are joining in with great enthusiasm and unconditional support. The year 2031 marks the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of the Virgin of Guadalupe, and a variety of actions are already underway to celebrate it, including a world tour of the images of the Virgin and Saint Juan Diego. Also, the year 2033 marks two thousand years since the birth of Jesus.
Today’s Anecdote
The special love for Pope Francis began with a miracle that the Sulaimán Saldívar family experienced. Our dear world champion, the Argentine Sergio “Maravilla” Martínez, was invited to a private audience with his compatriot, Pope Francis. Sergio, very excited, agreed but asked for the opportunity to be accompanied by my father, his dear Don José. My father had to cancel his trip because a medical problem was detected, and he had to be transferred to the UCLA hospital in Los Angeles for surgery. One day after the surgery, he fell into a coma. He had been in that state for 18 days when the champion’s audience with the Holy Father took place. Sergio asked for prayers for Don José’s health; the Pope asked for something that belonged to him or had a connection to him, and Sergio gave him the world champion certificate he was carrying. The Pope prayed again and again while folding the paper, and ended by asking for it to be delivered immediately. Miguel De Pablos, who accompanied Sergio, sent it immediately via courier. We received the paper on October 20, and my mother placed it under my father’s back. A few hours later, my father opened his eyes and began a recovery during which we were able to enjoy his company for more than two months, allowing us to say goodbye to him with dignity; a time in which friends and champions such as Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Chávez, Leonard, Carlos Slim, and many other very dear people visited him.
I appreciate your comments at contact@wbcboxing.com.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Mauricio Sulaimán.
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