WBC won’t sanction fights in Ontario, Canada

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, the WBC won’t sanction any fights in Ontario, Canada, citing safety issues.

The WBC said it has tried to communicate with the Ontario Athletic Commission but has had little luck in persuading it to follow the norms of boxing, which call for weigh-ins to take place the day before fights rather than the morning of fights.

“The WBC considers the Ontario Athletic Commission’s boxing regulations to be dangerous for the participants,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said. “Accordingly, the WBC has pleaded with the OAC to comply with the established world safety standards applicable to professional boxing.

“The OAC conducts its official weigh-in ceremony the very day of the fight. There is ample medical evidence that the OAC’s weigh-in practice is dangerous and can be detrimental to the health and safety of the fighters. Ontario also limits the amount and length of material that can be used to wrap the hands of the boxers. Again, that practice goes against the widely accepted standards around the world.”

“He is bedridden at St. Michaels Hospital ?in Toronto,” Sulaiman said.

Sulaiman said there were “several irregularities” related to the bout, including that Herrera was allowed to travel from Mexico to Toronto “without the required permit from the competent Mexican authorities.”

“While Mr. Herrera fights as a cruiserweight, the OAC licensed him to fight in the lower light heavyweight division,” he said. “Therefore, he was forced to lose a substantial amount of weight the day of the fight. At this point, it is uncertain whether the event’s promoter had medical insurance. That is one of several facts that are being investigated.”