George Kimball America at Large: "Jose Sulaiman will be celebrating today his 30 years as president of the World Boxing Council, and our sport itself and all those involved in it are happy and rejoicing in a well-deserved recognition to the man that not only revived boxing but took it to unprecedented levels of excellence no one could have ever expected in the brief period of three decades.

"But make no mistake, things have not been easy at all for this outstanding leader; all to the contrary, since fighting vested interests, some absurd traditions, stubbornness and above all, all those who believe that boxing is just a means to make money, have turned the task into a quite formidable endeavour." - World Boxing Council communique, December 5th, 2005.

Both despots came to power in the 1970s, but it probably isn't fair to compare the reign of Saddam Hussein with that of Sulaiman. Saddam presided over more honest elections.

One dictator is currently on trial in a proceeding so absurd that it threatens to turn him into a sympathetic figure in the eyes of the world, while the other last Monday celebrated the beginning of his fourth decade in office.

Dr Jose Sulaiman Chagnon marked the 30th anniversary of his presidency this week by distributing a personal list of the World Boxing Council's 30 "greatest champions" and 30 "greatest fights". If his memory has slipped as badly as his lists indicate, Sulaiman should step down right now before he's laughed out of office.

No one would argue with the selection of Muhammad Ali as the top boxer of the past 30 years, but putting the disgraced Mike Tyson number two on his list seems self-serving. And while Marvellous Marvin Hagler is generally regarded one of (at least) the top three middleweights of all time, he doesn't merit so much as a mention on Sulaiman's hit parade.

It should probably be noted as well that it was Sulaiman who, in 1978, stripped Ali of his WBC heavyweight title and awarded the belt, by fiat, to Ken Norton - who lost it in his first defence.

And boxing aficionados will recall that after Buster Douglas upset Tyson in Tokyo in 1990, Sulaiman, in concert with Don King, led an attempt to have the knockout set aside until he was shouted down by worldwide clamour.

If the omission of Hagler seems preposterous, how about the fact that Hagler's epic 1985 brawl with Tommy Hearns didn't make Jose's Top 30 fights? While leaving Hagler off his list, El Jefe did include Ultiminio (Sugar) Ramos, whose last fight occurred in 1972 - three years before the coup in which Sulaiman seized power.

Described by promoter Bob Arum as "a fat Mexican dictator", Sulaiman is of Lebanese descent and grew up in the US. His transformation into a downtrodden Third-Worlder coincided with an anti-American backlash in the mid-70s, which helped get him elected to his present position in 1975.

Sulaiman's anniversary communique ticked off a laundry list of his accomplishments over the past 30 years, but there are a few he forgot. A 1982 dispatch from the New York Times revealed that "Jose Sulaiman, president of the World Boxing Council, was arrested in Mexico City, where he was accused of plotting to smuggle archaeological artefacts out of the country . . . The charge was brought, the police said, after investigators discovered the relics at a factory Sulaiman owns in an industrial suburb of the capital. United Press International quoted a source close to the case as estimating the value of the artefacts at $750,000. Sulaiman denied the charge at a news conference, saying he had been 'conserving the pieces because I am enamoured of my people, my culture, and my ancestors'."

Sulaiman's attempt to overturn the Douglas-Tyson result was criticised by many, including Arum. "It has made boxing ridiculous. It's absolutely mind-boggling," said the promoter. "These organisations are immoral. They'll do anything to be expedient for their own interests. They have no kind of standards."

A dozen years later it was Arum who, at a WBC convention in Phuket, Thailand, rose to second Sulaiman's nomination for an eighth four-year term in office.

Sulaiman had actually offered to step down before that 2004 convention, having engaged in skulduggery so abject a federal judge had slapped the WBC with a $30-million judgment.

In 1997 Roy Jones announced his intention to relinquish his light-heavyweight title and move up to heavyweight. The WBC ordered a fight between Graciano Rocchigiani and Michael Nunn for the vacant belt. Rocchigiani won, but when Jones reconsidered, Sulaiman attempted to withdraw recognition and give the title back to Jones. Rocchigiani sued, and when the case came to trial four years later was awarded $8 million, plus $22 million in punitive damages.

Before re-establishing diplomatic relations with the WBC, Arum had complained to Sports Illustrated's Pat Putnam: "They demand that we wine them and dine them or we can't get a fight. I can't get a cockamamie letter of sanction, which TV demands, so I can't earn a living. I have to pay all their expenses, and put up with their hassling. They come and they bring their wives - and they don't go anywhere or do anything unless it's first-class."

Several years ago Sulaiman flew to Las Vegas to "supervise" a WBC title fight. He made his connection in Houston, but his luggage did not. Don King dispatched trainer Richie Giachetti to help Sulaiman acquire an emergency wardrobe.

Shopping at a trendy haberdashery at Caesars Palace, Sulaiman grabbed several pairs of expensive silk underdrawers. Even though it was King's money he was spending, Giachetti balked.

"Come on, Jose, you don't wear silk underwear," said Giachetti.

"I do now," winked Sulaiman.