Last Friday in Chengdu, China, WBC president Jose Sulaiman read a statement during their convention castigating Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz who reportedly reneged on their promise to pay the sanction fee for the David Diaz fight last June.
“I would like to read a press release that has been prepared because there have been many recent attacks on the WBC for requiring Manny Pacquiao to pay his sanction fee within 15 days, and also to ask him to pay what he should if he wants to use the WBC’s title. The release reads as follows: ‘The World Boxing Council would like to make a clarification of the position taken unanimously by the Board of Governors and the general assembly during its 46th annual world convention held in Chengdu, China.
” ‘First of all, the WBC would like to express its profound respect and admiration to Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the president of the great country, also to the great people of the Philippines , nation that founded the WBC in 1963.
” ‘The whole World Boxing Council considered an embarrassment and humiliation, as well as an act of disrespect by Mr. Mike Koncz, who with his communications ill-advising the great champion of the world by disrespecting the organization that opened the doors to opportunities for him to show his greatness.
“‘First, the WBC has a rule that all champions and challengers must pay a three percent sanction fee to the organization. They humiliated the WBC by questioning the pending $30,000 in his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez, which he himself promised to pay months ago, and didn’t pay. But now Mr. Koncz is informing that he has to talk with the promoter to see if they are paying or not such debt to the WBC.
“‘Second, they requested permission to fight Oscar De La Hoya with the WBC approval. In this fight, we estimate that he might make more than $10 million, at least, and he offered to pay the WBC only $20,000, like if we, the WBC, were beggars. The WBC rules are very clear regarding WBC champions fighting without defending his title.
” ‘Third, after the De La Hoya fight without defending his title, he requested the WBC for one other permission to fight Ricky Hatton or Floyd Mayweather – let me clarify: not Manny Pacquiao, but his representative, Mr. Koncz – which means the WBC must freeze the WBC lightweight title for much more than a year, taking away all opportunities to all fighters who are fighting every day to win and fight for the title, to find that there is a barrier and they cannot fight because their champion is not available.
” ‘Therefore, by a unanimous voting of the delegates of the 164 nations present in Chengdu, China, we are granting the representatives of champion Manny Pacquiao 15 days to pay such $30,000 from his fight against Marquez that they promised before his fight that took place against Diaz.
” ‘In regards with his fight against Oscar De La Hoya, instead of the 1.5 percent that he must pay, which is half of the three percent stated in the rules, he must pay $100,000, which is much less, as a sanction fee if he wants to keep the title of the WBC.
“‘The WBC has nothing against boxers, as we have a pension plan to help with food and medicine for many ex-boxers in the world. The WBC is only working for the safety of boxers, and not one single member officer of the WBC gets any compensation from the WBC or boxing whatsoever.
“‘We love Manny Pacquiao. He is our superstar. He is the pride of the WBC and he represents one of the most beloved countries in the world in the WBC, such as the great Philippines , but Mr. Pacquiao is very ill-advised and they are hurting his image and the people that helped open doors for him, without any knowledge of what is fair or what is not and those people advising Manny are not only not doing their right job, but they are hurting his image for what is the truth and with the intention to destroy the image of the WBC, as if we were beggars and belt merchants.
“‘We will always love Manny Pacquiao whether he stays or not, but we ask him to give consideration to the institution that opened the doors for his greatness.’ That’s the end of the press release.”