Open Letter From Association Of Boxing Commissions President To WBC Chairman

To:
Mr. Jose Sulaiman
Chairman
World Boxing Council
Mexico City, Mexico

As you presumably are aware, the letter sent by the Association of Boxing Commissions, recommending that Tommy Morrison not be allowed to participate in a professional boxing match in Guanajuato, Mexico as part of the undercard for the boxing show referred to as “Latin Fury,” featuring a bout between Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. and Jose Celaya for the WBC “Continental Americas” light middleweight title (co-promoted by Top Rank and a local promoter), was addressed to the “Mexican Provincial Boxing Commission for Guanajuato, Mexico.”

This was done: (1) upon the ABC becoming aware (at the “eleventh hour”) of Morrison being on this fight card; and (2) the ABC being told by Top Rank’s (the promoter of the fights) matchmaker (Bruce Trampler), later confirmed by Bob Arum (the Chairman of the Board of Top Rank), that Morrison was going to fight regardless of the ABC’s concerns.

In the absence of the ABC being able to identify which Mexican boxing commission was regulating these bouts, the letter was sent as an “open letter” via multiple newspaper and Internet reporters in hopes that it would reach the appropriate Mexican boxing commission.

This letter was not addressed to the WBC, the world sanctioning body supervising the above-referenced title fight; as the ABC was of the understanding that the WBC had no supervisory role in the undercard bouts.

Thus, it appears odd that you, on behalf of the WBC, would send a “response” (published on February 13, 2008) regarding a fighter, and a bout, with which the WBC had no involvement.

Nevertheless, considering your apparent interest in such matters, be advised that the ABC recently learned that, in addition to Morrison being allowed to participate in a bout on the “Latin Fury” fight card, Jose Luis Zertuche (from Guanajuato, Mexico) also participated in a bout on the “Latin Fury” fight card against Rubio Marco for the “Fecombox” middle weight title.

This bout took place even though Zertuche had been suspended by the California State Athletic Commission, pending a neurological examination and CT Scan, following Zertuche being KO’d by Kelly Pavlik on January 27, 2007. (Perhaps not coincidentally, Zertuche was TKO’d by Rubio in the seventh round.)

In your published “response” letter, you state that “Morrison went through the same thorough medical examinations as all other boxers”; however, this “double speak” does not address what medical examinations are required in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Further, apparently attempting to paint these scenarios as nationality-based or somehow justified as “reciprocal wrongdoing,” you, again as the Chairman of a sanctioning organization and not a boxing commission, allege that the ABC and state commissions in the U.S., other than California (the state which suspended Zertuche and had its suspension ignored):

” … never contact Mexican commissions … Countless boxers from Mexico have gone … to fight in the United States while they have been medically suspended in Mexico …but none of the suspension notifications sent by Mexican commissions to US commissions have ever been respected …”

As you are well aware, all boxing results, including suspensions, are to be reported to Fight Fax (the only boxing registry certified by the ABC pursuant to U.S. federal law [15 USC §6301(3)]) regarding bouts occurring throughout the world; and the results are to be reported to Fight Fax by the boxing commission regulating the bout.

Any and all suspensions reported to Fight Fax by a boxing commission, in addition to being placed on the boxer’s official record, are placed on a “suspension list.” Thus, if a boxer in Mexico is medically suspended by a Mexican boxing commission, that suspension is to be reported to Fight Fax and will be posted accordingly.

The ABC is advised by Fight Fax that “no Mexican fighter that is on the suspension list has fought under suspension in the United States.” Of course, if the results of, and suspensions emanating from, a bout are not reported to Fight Fax, there will be no record upon which another boxing commission can rely.

In short, these matters do not involve “nationality,” but, instead, involve honesty, fairness, integrity and, most importantly, the safety of boxers.

Finally, in regard to a meeting between the ABC and Fedcombox (the national boxing federation into which the Mexican state boxing commissions are integrated), the ABC has made numerous attempts to schedule such a meeting; and, while the ABC has suggested to Fedcombox that it provide the ABC with dates to meet, thus far, Fedcombox has not provided those dates.

Very truly yours,

Tim Lueckenhoff
President, Association of Boxing Commissions