The passing of World Boxing Council (WBC) President Jose Sulaiman Chagnon brings to a close a very interesting and often controversial era in professional boxing. The Mexican-born boxing czar who died Thursday, January 16, developed into the most colorful boxing administrator in the history of the sport, and he was associated with highs and lows.
There was the relationship with promoter Don King that was considered by many as not a healthy connection. There was the large number of decisions made regarding rankings and statuses of boxers that seemed conflicting. One particular status adjustment led to a major suit against the WBC, causing the organization about $30 million.
Sulaiman was thought of mostly as an autocratic leader. His power appeared for most of his tenure, from 1975 to his death, to be absolute. I recall a WBC Congress I attended as the second vice president of the Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE). Everything went according to the wishes of President Sulaiman. He was gracious. As the chairman, he allowed opposition to come from the floor, but it was more a case of him humoring those individuals. In the end, there would almost always be a motion that favored the position enunciated by Sulaiman.
Despite that side of the late WBC chief, I found him accommodating and kind. He recognized the need to embrace boxing organizations from around the world and their representatives were treated in kind. There was the part of Sulaiman also, that made him stand head and shoulders above his fellow international boxing leaders. He was innovative and the landmark decision he brought about in the WBC, for championship bouts to be reduced to 12 rounds from 15, will long be heralded as one of the great changes in the sport.
The WBC led the way in 1983 and the world followed. Sulaiman was concerned that 15 exhausting rounds with boxers pummeling each other, resulted in punishment that could be avoided. He concluded that three less rounds would prolong the careers of many champions and contenders.
Health-conscious sports personnel and medical doctors rallied around the new championship order. It was indeed a landmark ruling and no matter the aforementioned issues that threw him into a negative light, history will no doubt judge Sulaiman favorably because really, in my view, he had a kind heart.
In more recent times, he was passionate about the transformation of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA). The body that controls world amateur boxing has now crossed over officially into the professional territory. Sulaiman was bitterly against the expansion of AIBA and expressed his view openly.
He raised "Cain" with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its support and acceptance of the AIBA in the new role. It was a fight left unfinished. Sulaiman didn't get to go the distance this time. Now, someone else will have to carry on that battle. The boxing patriarch is gone.
May his soul forever rest in peace!

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