Boxing Match Scheduled for Friday Already Creating Controversy

An international heavyweight bout featuring Mexican boxers Fres Oquendo and Pablo Gibran is scheduled for Friday night in San Ignacio.  The much advertised event is being coordinated by the Belize Boxing Development Council, an organization that is unaffiliated with the Belize Boxing Federation.  Despite public enthusiasm, BBF President Moses Sulph is coming out strongly against the initiative, citing its illegality since the competition is not sanctioned by the only IBA recognized body in the country. 

Moses Sulph, President, Belize Boxing Federation

Moses Sulph

“I’ll be honest with you, the event which I am aware of very lately that is to take place in San Ignacio is not a legal boxing event.  I want to make it clear, for those who don’t understand the procedures, each Caribbean country and most European countries have one legally registered boxing entity that is registered with IBA and the local sports council and we are the only entity that is legally given the responsibility of governing boxing in Belize.  So I will say from that perspective, as the president, we have received, those are not members, if you are not a member of the federation you have to join the federation in order for you to be able to do legal boxing in Belize.  There are things that are classified as black market.  If you want to do illegal boxing in Belize then the repercussions will not be held by the federation and these are things that you are playing with people’s lives, young men’s lives if they are not properly checked, if they are not thoroughly passed fit to box.  How can you have a boxing event if you haven’t gotten any license from the legal entity that can grant that license?”