MLB
Vinny Castilla and José Altuve named WBC ambassadors
The World Boxing Council awarded both players the WBC champion belt during this weekend’s MLB Mexico City Series.
Former Mexican baseball player Vinny Castilla and Houston Astros player José Altuve received the World Boxing Council champion belt during the MLB Mexican Series which was held at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú this weekend. WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán was in charge of handing over the belt to Castilla in recognition of his excellent playing career; while Leonor Colón, Senior Director of National and International Player Operations of the Major League Baseball Players Association, and Salvador Quirarte presented the belt to Altuve.
Sulaimán praises both MLB stars
WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán said he was delighted to name Vinny Castilla and Venezuelan second baseman Altuve ambassadors of the organization, and said, “Baseball is the king of sports and boxing is the champion of sports. It is a well known fact that baseball players and boxers share a lot in common in their training regimes to reach the top. Vinny Castilla is one of the greatest Mexicans to play baseball and Altuve is one of the greats who has shown that anything is possible on the playing field. Incredibly, both of them broke down barriers in the game and today, both are honorary ambassadors of the World Boxing Council.”
Castilla, played in the best baseball in the world with the Atlanta Braves, the Colorado Rockies, Tampa Bay, Houston Astros, Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres. During his career he ended with 1,105 runs and hit 32 home runs. Altuve, born in Marcay, Venezuela, has played with the Astros since 2011, and during that time he has won two world series and been present in the MLB All-Star game eight times.
Head of the WBC Mauricio Sulaimán has a busy week ahead with the bout between Saúl Canelo Álvarez and Jaime Munguía in the super middleweight category for the belt green. The winner will also receive a special, commemorative ‘Tamaulipas Belt’ - a a fine leather-embroidered suede belt named after the Mexican region, award awarded by the World Boxing Council.