Sulaiman: Pacquiao pride of WBC

DALLAS – Through the years, Jose Sulaiman has kept count of the rivalry between Filipino and Mexican fighters.

During Wednesday’s final press conference for the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito fight, the ageless president of the World Boxing Council shared the numbers to the media.

He said in 61 title fights between Filipino and Mexican boxers, the Philippines has won 24 times.

It’s not really surprising that the Mexicans, the home of great champions, continue to enjoy the upperhand. But what Sulaiman shared was the fact that of the 24 victories for Pinoy boxers, 12 of them belonged to Manny Pacquiao.

There are his great battles against Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera and even the likes of Gabriel Mira, Hector Velasquez and Jorge Solis.

Throw in David Diaz and Oscar dela Hoya, who are Mexicans by heart as well.

“Of the 24, this man (Pacquiao), the pride of the WBC, has won 12. And Margarito doesn’t like this, of course,” said Sulaiman of the 31-year-old Filipino who’s been labeled as the “Mexecutioner.”

But Pacquiao insists he has nothing against Mexicans, and that it just so happened that some of his biggest fights were against them.

On Saturday, he faces Antonio Margarito for the vacant WBC super-welterweight crown.

“I really believe this fight will be better than what most people say,” said Sulaiman, at the helm of the WBC since 1975, when Muhammad Ali was still the heavyweight champion of the world.

“Manny is the best boxer in the world. But I also believe in the heart of this man (Margarito),” the WBC head said.

When he took the microphone, the native of Tijuana, who has vowed to knock Pacquiao out, made another vow.

“I want to tell Mr. Sulaiman he’s going to have a new champion on the 13th (Saturday),” he said.

Pacquiao won’t like it either, of course.