Round 12: The NFL and boxing

By Mauricio Sulaimán / son of José Sulaimán / President of the WBC

Sunday, one of the most important sports events worldwide took place, Super Bowl LVIII,  and my  prediction was that the Kansas City Chiefs would win, based on the experience of both quarterback, Pat Mahomes, and his greatness, plus Brock Purdy, with his rookieness, but also because defenses usually win games, and Kansas City showed at the end of the season great solidity, organizaton and steadfast discipline in this area.

Football has had great coincidences over the years, and for me, it was something that always brought me closer to my dad.

My passion for the Dallas Cowboys was born on a Sunday in 1976, when Don José took me from the Lindavista League baseball field to return home. He sat me down with him to watch the Super Bowl, between Dallas and Pittsburgh. Those Cowboys, with Roger Staubach, and the Steelers, with Terry Bradshaw.

Dallas lost in a heart-stopping, heart wrenching game, and from that day on,  I became a loyal fan, a long-suffering fan because we haven’t been to a Super Bowl since 1995, and since I’m also a Cruz Azul fan, I’m already well seasoned and used to seeing glory pass on by…year after year.

On one of his many trips, Don José returned with a helmet of Tony Dorsett, and autographed photos of many Cowboys, that is one of my most precious treasures.

Ed “Too Tall” Jones, a lineman from Dallas, ventured into boxing, and had six professional fights, but he realized that the blows were harder in the ring than the hard knocks on the gridiron, and it was better to hang up his gloves.

The Dallas Cowboys stadium has witnessed great boxing events, when Manny Pacquiao defeated Joshua Clottey, and then Antonio Margarito. Meanwhile, Saúl Canelo Álvarez set the attendance record in the United States for a fight in an indoor stadium, with 73,126 fans, when he TKO`s Englishman Billy Joe Saunders, in an unforgettable atmosphere. Also, Erol Spence Jr. achieved wins against Mikey García and the Cuban Yordenis Ugas.

One of the greatest memories of my life was that day when the owner of the Vaqueros, Jerry Jones, traveled to Mexico, accompanied by two cheerleaders to promote the fight between Pacquiao and Margarito. After the press conference, my dad was invited to an unforgettable meal at Televisión Azteca, and I joined him. It was a unique experience.

The Azteca executives, who were responsible for creating La Casa del Boxeo, welcomed us with traditional Mexican hospitality. There was Rodrigo Fernández, Mauricio Majul, Carlos Díaz and Rodolfo Vargas, among others, and also as guests were my dear friend Fernando Beltrán, from Zanfer, Todd DuBoef, president of Top Rank, and Bob Arum its founder.

The boxing talk soon died down, and after a couple of tequilas, we all witnessed one of the most interesting conversations that could take place, as Jerry Jones, Bob Arum and Don José Sulaimán told all kinds of anecdotes and stories, which left us in awe.

My dad didn’t drink much alcohol; from time to time, a margarita, an occasional glass of wine or an anise after the meal, but that day, Bob decided to open the bottle of Reserva de la Familia that they had given him, and he poured several tequilas for Don José.

It is well known that there was always a distance between Arum and my dad, but that day they both enjoyed each other to the fullest with sparkling conversation. Imagine how it was, that when my dad stopped to say goodbye, Bob gave him a kiss and a big hug! The two of us left relatively early, but there is much more to that party, as they followed it on upon returning to the hotel.

The Football player is very fond of boxing, by nature they find in our sport a passion that leads them to commonly be present on the big boxing cards.

At last year’s show in Jalisco, when Canelo filled the Akron Stadium, Pittsburgh player Najee Harris was present, and I had the opportunity to invite him to an experience in CDMX, days after the fight. I took him and his friends to the Cantina del Bosque, and he loved the tequila, the tacos and the quesadillas, and he loved playing cupilete.

I lost track of him this entire season, until last December, when he was there at  Devin Haney vs. Regis Prograis fight, and suddenly this giant comes to hug me, it was Najee, happy to be in boxing.

Did you know…?

On November 19, 2017, the New England Patriots played the Oakland Raiders at Azteca Stadium. We were fortunate to be able to organize the halftime show, based on the tribute to the Heroes of Mexico, since only two months had passed since the earthquake that shook our city.

My dear Pepe Cantoral performed his song: Mexico is counting on me; Manuel Mijares sang the National Anthem, and there was a parade in which the heroes were acclaimed, from firefighters, nurses, doctors, police officers and even prominent athletes: Ana María Torres, Ana Gabriela Guevara, Manuel Negrete, Carlos Mercenario, and GGG Golovkin, who was in our country, and paraded with the team’s green shirt.

Today’s anecdote

It was in 1980 when Roberto Manos de Piedra Durán gave Sugar Ray Leonard his rematch at the Superdome in New Orleans.

Days before, my dad arrived and told me: “Mijito: let’s go to the stadium, there’s an NFL game and the fight is going to be promoted.” When we arrived we saw many fans with paper bags over their heads, as a sign of complaint of how bad the Saints were.

Once we were seated, Don José told us: “I haven’t eaten anything all day, I’ll be back right now.” Minutes later, he arrived with two hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, and his diet coke…because of his diet…

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