#11/2023
For Immediate Release
Friday, June 16, 2023
MEXICAN BOXERS WHO FOUGHT IN CALIFORNIA MAY RECOVER 2.5 MILLION DOLLARS AS ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM STATE BOXERS PENSION
Nearly 200 boxers including those from Mexico, who fought in California from 1982 and on and meet specific criteria are eligible to recover up to USD 2.5 Million of economic benefits.
Back in March, the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego was contacted by the California State Athletic Commission requesting assistance to find 206 boxers who fought in California and may be eligible for a pension through the California Professional Boxer’s Pension Fund.
Based on Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs databases, and other sources of information, the consular representation in San Diego was able to locate and contact the first dozen of Mexican boxers. Subsequently, the consular representation approached the World Boxing Council, who assisted in these efforts.
To this date, this collaboration has resulted in 23 boxers located; 4 out of which have already received their checks. The remaining 19 are either in the process or soon to be initiated into the process through the facilitation by the World Boxing Council.
Through a press conference in Mexico City, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the California State Athletic Commission and the World Boxing Council, are participating in a broad effort to locate the rest of the boxers and help them to recover what they are entitled to.
This press conference was headed by Roberto Velasco, Chief of the Unit for North America at Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Mexico City; Dr. Vernon Williams, Vice Chair of the California State Athletic Commission; Mauricio Sulaimán, President of the World Boxing Council and the Consul General of Mexico in San Diego, Carlos González Gutiérrez. Former boxers Erik “El Terrible” Morales, José Refugio “Cuco” Rojas and Miguel Ángel González, participated as well.
“The protection of the rights of Mexicans abroad is the highest priority of Mexico’s government,” said Roberto Velasco, head of the Unit for North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who recalled that former fighters reside in several cities in Mexico and abroad, so the message is aimed at reaching Mexican nationals to let them know that Mexico’s government is ready to assist them.
Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognizes the California State Athletic Commission for its willingness to help retired Mexican boxers, by proactively reaching out to them, bringing them closer to the economic benefits to which they are entitled, even when they are no longer active workers.
Here you will find a link: https://bit.ly/43rtIm1 with the list of uncontacted fighters and the emergency lines of our Consulates abroad: https://bit.ly/43LfMTO.
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