WBC President to hold talks with Cardiff delegation
A delegation led by Cardiff & Co, the organisation charged with promoting the capital will meet with Jose Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council (WBC) in Cancun this week in the hope of securing the Night of Boxing Champions for Cardiff in 2013. If successful, it would also underline the city’s commitment and ambition to host a world heavyweight title fight in the capital.
The delegation will be lead by Cardiff & Co’s Managing Director, Richard Thomas and board member, Neil McEvoy.
Commenting, Richard Thomas said, “Cardiff is a city synonymous with hosting major sporting events and more importantly with the success of their execution. In 1999 we hosted the Rugby World Cup, followed by six consecutive F.A. Cup Finals at the Millennium Stadium – the only arena in the UK deemed suitable for football’s greatest competition. The stadium also hosted the super middleweight WBC, WBA and WBO unification fight between our own boxing legend, Joe Clazaghe and Mikkel Kessler in 2007. Last year the city played host to the first Ashes Test held on Welsh soil – another resounding success. And earlier this month, the city-region hosted thousands of happy golf fans from around the world attending the Ryder Cup Celtic Manor in Newport.”
He added, “Major sporting events such as this, not only bring significant economic benefits to the city- region but also generate media exposure on a global scale. Other and much larger cities in the UK, such as Birmingham and Bristol have openly recognised the need to emulate the success of Cardiff. What we cannot afford to do is rest on our laurels and wait for the next major event to just fall into our laps.”
Cardiff & Co board member, Neil McEvoy said, “July’s Night of Champions saw some of the biggest names in boxing from all over the world come to Cardiff. All concerned loved Cardiff and there was a definite wow factor with the film premiere. The WBC were impressed by the welcome, our history and the WBC President, Jose Sulaiman who was represented at that event by his son, Mauricio Sulaiman, is keen to discuss a return to the city in 2013 with another Night of Champions. I want to combine this with a world title fight. I am looking at this as a key way of maintaining the momentum that has already seen the Ashes and Ryder Cup come to the area and will see the Olympic football tournament coming to the city in 2012.
“In fact, the Welsh economy could benefit substantially from this. With the British Boxing Board of Control based in Cardiff, I would like to see Cardiff as a European hub for the sport. There is a job to do and we must put Cardiff in front of the other cities interested in this event.”
Commenting on receiving the Cardiff delegation, WBC President, Jose Sulaiman said,
“Cardiff hosted the historic WBC Night of Champions 2010 and there will be discussions as to the plans to host in the following years some important events in Wales, including the possibility of staging the WBC World Annual Convention in such a beautiful country.”
European and British Light Heavyweight champion, Nathan Cleverly said, “As a south Wales boy, it would be great to see such a prestigious event back in Cardiff in 2013 and would be a good opportunity for me personally to catch up with some truly great boxing champions, both past and present. South Wales has a proud boxing history and Cardiff’s reputation for delivering some of the biggest sporting events is certainly getting the recognition it deserves.”
02/11/10
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