The WBC plays Scrooge on Christmas Day
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 26 Dec 2012
Sulaiman.
??Tis the season to be jolly,? goes one popular Christmas carol. It truly is the season to be merry, unless you are Denver Cuello.
The top rated minimumweight boxer is once again being deprived of his rightful title shot at the 105 pound belt by the World Boxing Council of which he is the mandatory challenger. Cuello, despite being the WBC?s long time number 1 challenger and who has been their Silver Champ has been bypassed at least twice for the right to fight for the coveted belt by the organization.
The Filipino boxer and his manager Aljoe Jaro expressed frustration to the WBC?s latest plan of pitting their newly crowned 105 pound champ, Xiong Zhao Zhong of China against anybody named Cuello.
Zhong won the vacant WBC title when he defeated Mexico?s Javier Martinez Resendiz in a bout that crowned him as China?s first world champion. The Chinese boxer obtained the opportunity to fight for the title despite him campaigning at a heavier division (108 pounds) prior to this title shot. Zhong was nowhere near the top challengers for the 105 crown prior to his title fight last November. He was rated and fighting as a Light Flyweight and was in fact, the WBC?s Silver Champ at 108.
But because of the opportunity to tap on the rich Chinese market, well lo and behold. Exit Cuello, Hello Zhong.
The belt that Zhong won was originally held by Kazuto Ioka of Japan, who vacated the belt for reasons the Japanese boxer and his team can only explain. But the one thing that was on the table for them at that time was for the belt to be defended against its rightful challenger.
And yes your guess is right. That is or that was, Denver Cuello.
Cuello and his team obliged to the WBC?s request at that time for them to step aside so the organization can stage their historic bout that featured Zhong and Resendiz in the land of The Great Wall last November. They gave way knowing that they will be the next one in line to fight against the winner of the bout, something that was promised to them by the WBC. Team Cuello was even at that fight at ringside to lend support to the event, despite knowing in heart that that was their fight in the first place.
But promises are made to be broken, especially in boxing and especially if you are with the WBC.
The Mexico based organization has told Cuello?s team that they will now have to wait again for that opportunity to fight for the title.
Zhong will defend his title but, not against them. The Chinese champion will now defend his belt possibly against Juan Hernandez of Mexico who is three steps below Cuello in the ranking according to a report by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
What happened to the WBC?s word of honor? What happened to their promise to Cuello and his team? What happened to being the number 1 challenger which Cuello has earned in the last two years? What happened indeed?
What a way by the WBC to ruin Christmas for Cuello and his fans and countrymen who has long been wanting of this chance. Denver Cuello earned it, he climbed the ladder and fought the fights and even heeded their rules and request.
What a way to for the WBC to, for a lack of a better word, ?screw? him again.
Oh WBC, you are indeed as cold-hearted as Ebenezer Scrooge.
You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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