Boxing

WBC Takes Over Monthly Donation from Retired Boxers Foundation for Juan Antonio Lopez's Chemotherapy

Their detractors call them one of those "Alphabet" Organizations, but Alex Ramos of the Retired Boxers Foundation and RBF Writer Jaime Estrada call the WBC one of the "Undisputed Champions for DIGNITY!

12.06 - Simi Valley, CA - Jose Sulaiman, President of the World Boxing Council-WBC--and his son, Mauricio Sulaiman, announced today that they would begin taking over the $140 monthly contribution for Juan Antonio Lopez's chemotherapy from the Retired Boxers Foundation. About six months ago, Retired Boxers Foundation columnist, Jaime Estrada, who writes "Boxeo en Espanol" for the RBF website, contacted the Retired Boxers Foundation, desperately seeking financial assistance for Super Bantamweight Champion, Juan Antonio Lopez, who has leukemia. After more than 100 fights, Lopez is fighting something that no referee, trainer or commission can change: A possible death sentence. Like many retired professional boxers, Lopez was able to care for his family but was not prepared for a curve ball like leukemia. Also, like most retired boxers, Lopez was without medical insurance to cover the $140 monthly charge for chemotherapy in his native Sinaloa, Culiacan, Mexico.

Estrada wrote to the Retired Boxers Foundation, "Life is full of turns in the destiny of every human being and the potential for bad luck lurks around the corner. Most of us have memories of close calls and many have had lives tested by adversity." He continued in his passionate email to Alex Ramos, Founder of the Retired Boxers Foundation, "When God blesses us with health and prosperity, sometimes it seems like we forget where we came from and our hearts are blocked to the pain of others. It is nothing less than a selfish attitude when we choose not to help the less fortunate when we can afford to."

Juan Antonio Lopez was a trainer until he got sick, but he is better known as a boxer where he had a remarkable 92 victories (60 KO's) and 20 defeats. For the last 8 months of last year, Lopez was training a group of talented kids from Culiacan to help them increase their chances of success in the world of boxing. Juan Antonio went to see his family in his hometown and was not feeling well. He went to the doctor and was immediately hospitalized. The tests revealed that Juan had Leukemia, which is essentially "cancer in the blood."

Ramos did not hesitate to help Lopez and sent the first of several checks for $140. When the Retired Boxers Foundation realized that they didn't have the resources to continue the monthly contributions past June, he didn't hesitate to contact the WBC. "I would have sent him money out of my own pocket, money that I would collect from my friends, to help Juan. I would never let him down," said Ramos.

Alex Ramos wrote to the Sulaimans and the WBC to see if they could help. According to Ramos, "I was hesitant to ask for the help, but I knew that the WBC had helped many other fighters before and since Juan was being treated in Mexico, I thought the WBC would either help financially or have some resources that we could tap in Mexico."

Mauricio Sulaiman told Ramos he would see what he could do. He met with Jose Sulaiman to discuss the options and without hesitation, the WBC notified Ramos that they would begin the monthly contribution immediately. They also said that they would pursue assistance from Mexico to acquire the equivalent of Social Security so that Juan would get the medical attention he needed and his family would be taken care of. Ramos said he wasn't at all surprised by their generosity.

In December 2002, Ramos was honored by the WBC at their annual convention in Tokyo, Japan, for his humanitarian efforts through the Retired Boxers Foundation. Ramos said, "I knew that the WBC did things to improve the sport of boxing but I had now idea how much they had done until I read the program at the Tokyo Convention. You don't hear the stories about the good things the WBC does for fighters. I knew that the WBC conducts training for ringside physicians, cut men, referees and all of the boxing officials with 100% of their efforts to make the sport safer. As a former professional boxer, I can tell you that the officials at the fight have a huge responsibility and their decisions can be life saving or life threatening. I could tell by talking to Jose Sulaiman and his son, Mauricio Sulaiman, that the WBC is about more than sanctioning fees. I bet most fighters don't even know that some of the money they pay for these fees also goes to things that benefit the sport and the athletes themselves. For example, I didn't know about the generous donations the WBC made to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for neurological studies that are related to injuries suffered in boxing. That contribution was over $200,000. Believe me, the more we can find out about chronic brain injuries and the impact on the neurological health of the athletes will go a long way towards making the sport safer." Ramos expressed his respect for Jose Sulaiman and the WBC for "walking the talk" just like the Retired Boxers Foundation, to do everything possible for the athletes, whether they are in the ring or retired.

The Retired Boxers Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation started by 1984 USBA Middleweight Champion, Alex "The Bronx Bomber" Ramos in 1995 to help fighters in need, is leading a campaign called "Fighters Helping Fighters" to inspire other fighters to help. Ramos started the Retired Boxers Foundation because of what happens to professional boxers once their careers are over. Because boxing is the only sport that does not provide adequate pensions to fighters once they retire, too many of them suffer in the transition from their glorious days in the ring to a dignified retirement.

For more information on the Retired Boxers Foundation, "Fighters Helping Fighters" program, call Alex Ramos at (805) 583-5890 or visit their website at www.retiredboxers.org. The Fighters Helping Fighters campaign has assisted over 100 retired professional boxers and their families, including arranging surgery, tax consultation to clear up problems with the IRS, legal services, rehabilitation services, Dignity Bags for homeless fighters and fighters in convalescent homes as well as financial assistance for the families. Ramos takes between 15 and 20 calls a day from fighters and their families from all over the world. He, along with RBF Executive Director, Jacquie Richardson, make referrals and help fighters apply for medical assistance, social security disability, rehabilitation services and legal assistance. They also assist organizations interested in hiring retired fighters for appearances and for speaking engagements. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation you can send it to Alex Ramos, Retired Boxers Foundation, 3359 Bryan Avenue, Simi Valley, CA 93063.

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