“In the WBA our policy is clear and simple: to recognize the talent, male or female, in the most remote corners of the universe, offering the alternative of individual growth and the path to social improvement, through a hierarchical, regulated, fair and fair organizational system that preserves human rights, all this combined with the love and common interest of all of us. Let’s make boxing a universal sport, yes, but with a social conscience.
This summary of the message was written by President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza on the occasion of the traditional Annual Dinner held seven years ago in Panama City, Panama.
The World Boxing Association, dean of the organizations that govern the sport of boxing, will be hosting its Centennial Convention at the Caribe Royale Hotel in Orlando, Florida from Sunday 11 through Wednesday 14, with its maximum leader Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, who will be leading the deliberations with delegates from different countries of the world and whose main topics will be the mental health of boxers, the Title Reduction Plan by unifying the world titles in the different categories and, of course, the 100 years of history of the organization that was born in July 1921, under the name of National Boxing Association.
Many of these postulates were endorsed by the atteding delegates from 47 countries at the 98th Annual Convention held in Fuzhou, China, where they ratified the north of the entity and among the many issues discussed, special emphasis was placed on the tasks to be developed in the immediate future, such as the strengthening its relationship with the amateur boxing.
The early years…
At this point it is worth making a brief summary of the history of the organization. In the first years the NBA was led by U.S. capable men, the first one was Walter Liginger (1921-22) and the last Charles Larson (1961-63). In between are the names of a vast array of leaders who propelled the organization along the path of success and prestige.
At the end of the 1970s, just over 47 years ago, the high number of Latin American members voted elect the Panamanian Elías Córdova (1974-77) as president, followed by the Venezuelan Fernando Mandry Galíndez (77-79) and the Isthmian Rodrigo Sánchez (79-82). Then came the long term in office of Venezuelan industrial engineer Gilberto Mendoza, who, with the support of Sanchez, who was terminally ill, assumed the presidency on October 7, 1982 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Gilberto Mendoza remained for 33 years at the helm of the ship, leaving his position in 2015, afflicted by an illness that led to his mourned death on March 11 of the following year. He was appointed President Emeritus of the organization’ by a unanimous vote of the Assembly at that annual meeting.
His son, Gilberto Jesús Mendoza, was elected President by acclamation by the assembled delegates at the 2015 Convention in Panama and, as mentioned above, he has remained in charge of the WBA since then and at least until 2025. Endowed with the experience accumulated within the Executive Committee and because of his long time as the apprentice of his father, Gilberto Jesús Mendoza has the indispensable tools to guide the entity successfully, supported by his immediate and experienced collaborators and anchored in the motto bequeathed by his predecessor: “We can do it. Let’s do it. Let’s do it together!
