The president of the WBC, Mauricio Sulaiman, said that the organizations responsible for the ties were kept at arm’s length when the event began. Say more The Ariel Helwani ShowSulaiman said that the WBC, along with the WBO, WBA and IBO, were officially excluded and blocked from the ring and other specialized groups that normally operate on fight night.
“I had a really bad run in Las Vegas for Canelo vs Crawford,” Sulaiman said. “Me and the other three organizations, WBO, WBA, IBO, we were not given any credentials. We were told that we could not be in the ring. We were not allowed to be in the dressing room. We were not allowed to be at the commission table.”
Sulaiman says the issue is about how the bodies operate, not the conditions. He explained that officials who participate in major championship fights work, not observe, and their presence in restricted areas is part of the management of fights.
“When we go to a fight, we work for you,” said Sulaiman. “It’s not a vacation or a fun thing or a fan or a writer, they’re fighting for our championship.”
Instead, Sulaiman said that the approval of the body’s officials were spectators instead of participating in the action.
“We were given a ticket to go to the fight outside the special zone, only for ordinary people,” he said, adding that no information was given for the restrictions.
This part fits well with Zuffa’s general approach to fighting. The promotion has been open about its desire for a simplified structure built around smaller brands, borrowing heavily from the UFC model. It has also questioned the importance of many special punishments and explored changes to the Muhammad Ali Act that would allow for greater central control. Those conditions are well established. The difference here is the method used in the implementation.
Interestingly, Zuffa’s epic fight relied entirely on the undisputed format. Four bands were central to the promotion, marketing and meaning of the fight. However the operators of those bundles were made to be members when the event was going on. The message was directed rather than spoken. The titles were needed. The bodies behind it are not.
There is no public debate and there is no on the trading record of mockery. Zuffa ran the event according to his own sensibilities, importing the UFC’s rules of engagement into a boxing environment. Space was limited. Roles were reduced. Traditions and customs have long been set aside without explanation.
Sulaiman’s response since then has been measured. Despite his criticism of the way the event was managed, he said he is still willing to work with Zuffa Boxing in the future, if certain conditions are met.
“It is acceptable if they want to do a joint fight, if they want to promote fights,” said Sulaiman. “But they must obey the rules and the structure.”
That situation suggests truth and not exaggeration. Now Zuffa rules attention and power. Courts still rule on enforcement if an undisputed circumstance requires it. Neither side holds absolute power, even as the balance shifts.
Canelo versus Crawford showed how far Zuffa Boxing is willing to push its performance model when given the opportunity. It also showed the limitations of the model at this stage of the fight’s expansion. The boxing routine was supposed to sell out the night. He was not invited to participate fully in the night’s proceedings.
As Zuffa runs more events and features more high profile fighters, the tension will continue to rise. The main issue is not whether punishments are necessary. They will be admitted if their presence cannot be avoided.