WBC president talks Canelo Alvarez’s ‘bitterness’ towards his organization

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman seems to be mystified by Canelo Alvarez continually shunning anything that has to do with his organization. Over the last year-and-a-half Canelo has voluntarily vacated the WBC middleweight title, refused to accept the WBC’s custom belt for the Chavez Jr. fight, and is once again declining to fight for the WBC world title in this weekend’s bout against Gennady Golovkin (and presumably the other custom made belt for this event).

In a letter penned by the WBC president, and captured by WBN, Sulaiman defends the WBC’s position in the apparently one-sided feud with the Golden Boy boxer. And in doing so Sulaiman takes a trip down memory lane...

“This fight was mandated by the WBC in May of last year. It was supposed to have been mandated in May, 2015. However, GGG and K2 Promotions were in agreement to allow then-champion Miguel Cotto to fight Alvarez and when the fight was delayed, and when Canelo beat Cotto, GGG again graciously accepted to allow Canelo a voluntary defense in which he knocked out welterweight Amir Khan.

“Five months before Canelo versus Khan, the agreement signed by Golden Boy Promotions and K2 was publicly released by the WBC and it clearly stated that a purse offer would be conducted 15 days after the Canelo versus Khan fight, due to the fact that GBP and K2 were in continuous negotiations since December, 2015, to sign Canelo versus GGG. At no time was there any pressure from the WBC on Canelo. It was agreed by both parties.”

After bringing up that Canelo then decided to vacate the WBC middleweight title on his own terms — which prompted the sanctioning body to hand the belt to Gennady Golovkin — Sulaiman continued by attempting to rationalize Canelo’s behavior concerning the WBC:

“I am certain that Canelo must not have the facts clear, as he has since dedicated himself to express bitterness towards the WBC for unknown reasons. He has forgotten of the so many instances in which the WBC was fundamental in his growth as a boxer and as a person. My father, Jose Sulaiman, took Canelo as a rising prospect and guided him through a process to make him a huge star, going from the WBC Youth championship to the NABF championship and the Silver championship.”

Sulaiman then talks more about all the instances of his organization sticking up for Canelo and looking out for his best interest. Sulaiman even mentions that his father, the previous WBC president, strongly advised against Canelo taking on Floyd Mayweather in 2013 because they cared so much about his future.

But in the end Sulaiman just expresses his ‘disappointment’ that after making several attempts to meet with Canelo face-to-face, to settle whatever grievance there is between the two, that he’s always summarily rejected.

Unrequited love is a motherf*cker.