WBC mourns Pope Francis’s passing

The WBC declares a week of mourning in memory of Pope Francis. His actions as a world leader and his support of boxing changed many lives, and his blessings had miraculous effects on many.

Argentine and born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was elected head of the Catholic Church in March 2013, after Benedict XVI resigned from the papacy, becoming the first Pope of Latin American origin.

“Let us renew our hope and trust in others, even in those who are different from us or come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life, and ideas. For we are all children of God.”

These were the final words of Pope Francis in his final appearance this Easter Sunday as part of his traditional Easter message.

His death came after a period of poor health that led him to spend five weeks in hospital with pneumonia.

The Holy Father had a close relationship with Héctor and Mauricio Sulaimán.

In early 2016, Román Rodríguez, from Spain, sought out Héctor and proposed that he lead the opening of Scholas México. It was in February of that year that the meeting with José María del Corral and Enrique Palmeyro took place to shape the program.

During the process, the proposal to create the BoxVal (Boxing with Values) program was also formed, contributing to the goal of educating the largest number of people in the world through sports, art, and technology.

The first proposal was to hold an inaugural fight for peace; specifically, one between a Catholic and a Muslim, Canelo Álvarez vs. Amir Khan, boxing being the most noble sport in existence and the one with the greatest potential to transmit values.

This initial experiment was a resounding success. The Olive Tree of Peace was presented at press conferences held in England, New York, and Los Angeles, and a plaque was placed during the weigh-in ceremony at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, where the fight was held.

The Fights for Peace belts were handmade by Adrian Pallarols, an Argentine artisan close to Pope Francis.

BoxVal organized fights for peace in several countries, carrying out a variety of important activities. The Pope met with great WBC champions such as Julio César Chávez, Deontay Wilder, Maravilla Martínez, Canelo Álvarez, among others.

The Holy Father also sent several messages of blessing to the WBC and the entire boxing community.

May Pope Francis rest in peace (1936-2025).