World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman expressed that it is painful for him every time that he gets asked about how WBA 175-pound champion Dmitry Bivol is affected by the WBC’s refusal to sanction contests involving Russian fighters.
Because of Russian’s ongoing war with neighboring country Ukraine, the WBC has refused to sanction any contests involving Russian or Belarus boxers – until the military conflict has concluded.
“At this moment, we can not sanction a fight where (Dmitry) Bivol is involved,” Sulaiman told Izquierdazo. “And every time that someone asks me about that, it hurts me, because I have many Russian friends, fighters, trainers, judges, and members of the Government Board that are from Russia”.
Last weekend, Bivol granted an interview to Seconds Out where he expressed his disagreement with the WBC’s position about Russian fighters. Bivol explained that sports should not be mixed with politics.
Sulaiman replied that the WBC’s decision is not personal against Bivol.
“Our position is not personal, and we are very sorry if it hurts anyone,” Sulaiman said. “In this case, (it hurts) Bivol because he is Russian, but it is nothing personal against him. We are a sanctioning body that fights for peace, for justice against abuse of power, against discrimination, against aggression. And it’s very unfortunate, he (Bivol) is a victim in this situation, but this is something that neither he nor we can control.”
Because of the WBC’s position, the sanctioning body will not allow their title to be at stake in a potential undisputed fight between Bivol and WBC, IBF, WBO champion Artur Beterbiev, who is also Russian.
Bivol further detailed that the WBC allows Beterbiev to hold their light heavyweight title, because he lives in Canada. Bivol argued that he should be afforded the same luxury, because last year he only lived in Russia for four months.
According to Sulaiman, Bivol has to approach WBC and make a petition.
“It’s more than clear, and I have said that a thousand times,” said Sulaiman. “He (Bivol) knows our position, he knows what he needed to do in the past and what he needs to do now. If he has a situation against our sanctioning body, the process is simple. He needs to get a petition like Beterbiev did. (Beterbiev) proved that he has lived in Canada for 15 years, that he has a Canadian residence, that his kids are Canadian, that he has a Canadian passport, and a Canadian boxing license.”
Sulaiman reiterated his position against the war between Russian and Ukraine.
“In the WBC Convention that was celebrated in Ukraine (in 2018), we had a charity event, and with that money a beautiful sports complex was built there. It was about to be inaugurated in May of last year, but was destroyed by a missile strike”, Sulaiman explained.
“This is a little example of what is behind our position. There are no gyms (in Ukraine). Five Ukrainian boxers have died in combat, a trainer died in his home. There is no boxing in Ukraine, and definitely, our position has not changed and will not change, unless our Governing Body decides something else.”