The Magficient Dozen Mexican Boxing Medalists were honored by the World Boxing Council within the portals of the World Famous Arena Mexicoo, in the heart of Mexico City, and WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman stressed the absolute necessity of Olympic Boxing surviving and flourishing for the very future of the sport.

This historic ceremony was during the WBC`s  Martes A Cafe. The bar was established  and set so high by Francisco Cabanas Pardo who won silver in the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. How apt this ceremony was at the Arena, which last year celebrated its ninetieth anniversary.

Mauricio said: “To become an Olympic medalist is equivalent to being a World Champion. For the WBC all the Olympic medalists through the years are true champions and they have been welcomed into the WBC, proudly invited to all of our events. It is a great, great pleasure to have done this and made dreams come true.”

This is an Olympic year which will be held in Paris and there is a great prospect for Mexico. Mauricio commented: “This is a great challenge due to the fact that there is no level of competition addressed by the rules today, so any professional fighter can go and compete against a novice, who is seventeen or eighteen years old. It is clearly dangerous and we are hoping everything will be sorted out by the time of the Olympic Games.”

AIBA has caused immense damage to the amateur sphere, yet it`s an established fact that the Olympics is a fundamental route to world championships for those who have served their parentships in the amateur ranks, before taking the next big fundamental step and becoming professionals.

Mauricio said: “Amateur Boxing constitutes the roots. It`s everything. Amateur, the Olympics and then Professional Boxing. It is a natural path and if you break one of those strands/elements, there is a great danger.

“The message to the IOC is absolute recognition for them to take the steps that need to be taken. To get an International Federation to control Olympic Boxing, get the guidance from honorable and knowledgeable people who can put the steps and the rules which are needed. Professional Boxing is different from Olympic Boxing. There are many differences. For example, you  have to make the weight for several days, not just one fight.

“Olympic Boxing has to survive!”

The Glorious Twelve Mexican Olympic Medalists who have brought so much glory to Mexico are:

Francisco Cabanas Prado, Silver in Los Angeles 1932

Juan Fabila Mendoza, Bronze in Tokyo 1964

Antonio Roldan Reyna, Gold in Mexico City 1968

Ricardo Delgado Nogales, Gold in Mexico City 1968

Agustin Zaragoza Reyna, Bronze in Mexico City 1968

Joaquin Rocha Herrera, Bronze in Mexico City 1968

Alfonso Zamora Quiroz, Silver in Munich 1972

Juan Parades Miranda, Bronze in Montreal 1976

Hector Lopez Colin, Silver in Los Angeles 1984

Mario Gonzalez lugo, Bronze in Seoul 1988

Cristian Bejarano Benitez, Bronze in Sydney 2000

Misael Rodriguez Olivas, Bronze Rio 2016

Most are still hale and hearty and were at hand for their latest moment of triumph.  Sadly Sr Pardo passed away in 2002. But his Grandson Erik Bochm Cabanas was here to collect the Belt. He thanked the WBC for this great honor to his Grandfather, remembering how the family had grown up with the many stories and stressing: “We are so proud of him!”

Hector Lopez Colin died in 2011. So his Brother Roberto was there for him. When Hector won Silver he was just seventeen. And Roberto said everyone thought with a supreme performance he should have won Gold.

Alfonso Zamora won Silver in Munich 1972, the Olympics which was overshadowed by the massacre of Israeli Athletes by a faction of Black September. The Olympics continued, and Alfonso remembers he had to make the weight two times to compete in his medal winning bout.  He went on to win a world title in the pro ranks.

Antonio Roldan won Gold in Mexico City in 1968. It doesn`t get any better than that. He shed tears apologizing for crying  with pride, as he received his Green and Gold Belt. The applause from those assembled was just pure magic.

Towering heavyweight Joaquin Rocha was back home, having won his 1968 bronze in The Arena. He said: “Winning my medal was such an honor and we fought for Mexico.

Juan “Fabila” Mendoza, still spritely who started his amateur career in 1961 and went on to train in the Pancho Rosales Gym mentioned his great pride for this latest ceremony.

Cristian Bejarno Benitez  said he feels this moment with the warmth of the WBC.

Mary Jose Alcala the Olympic Diver, who in 2021 was the first woman to be elected President of the Mexican Olympic Committee spoke of the legacy of Don Jose Sulaiman which is being continued to this day and praised legendary Sports Reporter Fernando Schwartz as a brilliant witness to sporting extravaganzas. She was presented with the WBC Medal of honor.

Daniel Aceves Villagran a Silver Medalist in greco-romana wrestling in the LA Olympics in 1984, the President of Mexican Olympic Medalists and the Vice President of the Olympic Committee mentioned how Mexican Boxing is a pride and awe of the Olympics….a discipline of success and hailed the success of Mexico in the Women`s Soccer Concacaf W Gold Cup in Canada.

Then…the lineup photo of Mexico`s Boxing Olympic medalists to round off such a memorable Martes A Cafe.  Bravo and VIVA MEXICO!