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In the Philippines, boxing is only considered a secondary sport behind basketball, despite of the glories and honors it brought to the country, having produced Olympic standouts, professional world champions and some of the greatest fighters in the history of the sport. Philippines has yet to win an Olympic gold medal but amateur boxing has given the country more medals in the Summer Olympics than any sport with 5 out of its 9 total medals. On the other hand, professional boxing have produced 35 major world champions (including those of Filipino heritage), one of the most in the world. In an unofficial survey, Philippines are ranked inside the top 10 in the world (lead by USA, Mexico and Great Britain) and 4th in Asia (behind South Korea, Japan and Thailand).^. Filipino greats like Pancho Villa, Flash Elorde and Ceferino Garcia are members of the two highly respected boxing hall of fames - IBHOF and WBHF. Thus, giving the Philippines the most number of boxing hall of fame members out of Asia.
Today, Filipino professional boxers are one of the most respected for their aggressive styles and world class talents, with the likes of future hall of famers Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire who are currently The Ring's Pound-for-pound number-one and number-four best fighter in the world respectively.
Before the Spaniards and Americans came to the Philippines, Filipinos have their own kind of boxing known as Suntukan, which means "bare-hand fighting" in Tagalog, generally believed to have evolved from a Filipino knife fighting technique called "Kali". During the Spanish colonization, such martial arts and kind of fighting were banned, so it was driven in the undergrounds where the deprivation of knives and rattan sticks lead to fist fighting.
The evolution of Philippine boxing was thought to be after the Spanish-American war, where Spain ceded its colonial territories namely - Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines to the United States as agreed in the 1898 Treaty of Paris. Some reports told that American soldiers brought the modern boxing in the Philippines where evidences of a pair boxing gloves were made by Sol Levinson of San Francisco and another story telling that a renegade soldier brought some boxing gloves to Filipino prisoners and taught them how to use it. However, it was generally believed that three Americans were responsible for the evolution of boxing in the country namely: Frank Churchill and the Tait brothers (Eddie and Stewart).^ Eddie and Stewart Tait, also dubbed as "Barnums of Borneo", were amusement park entrepreneurs who established carnivals and horse racing tracks in Manila, who arrived in the country in 1902. Eddie, believed to be a boxing enthusiast, wanted to attract crowds by teaching Filipino locals some western boxing lessons for free to create American-style Filipino boxers. In 1921, boxing was legalized in the Philippines and began to flourish. Frank Churchill joined by the Tait brothers, established the Olympic Boxing Club in Manila. During this time, the country saw the first batch of great Filipino fighters such as Dencio Cabanela, Speedy Dado, the Flores brothers (Francisco, Elino, Macario and Ireneo), Pete Sarmiento, Sylvino Jamito, Macario Villon and the legendary Pancho Villa. The first golden age of Philippine boxing emerge as Pancho Villa won the Universal World Flyweight Championship from Welshman Jimmy Wilde to become the first ever Asian and Filipino world champion. Villa defended his title three times including a fight in the Philippines with fellow Filipino Clever Sencio where he won by fifteen-round decision and was never thought to be the last victory of his young career. The glorious era was short-lived following the ring deaths of popular fighters Dencio Cabanela and Clever Sencio along with the disastrous death of Pancho Villa from Ludwig's angina and their influential promoter Frank Churchill.
On October 2, 1939, a sudden uplift came when Ceferino Garcia won the NYSAC World Middleweight Championship from American Fred Apostoli at the Madison Square Garden, New York, United States. On December 23, 1939, Garcia successfully defended his title for the first time against American Glen Lee infront of his countrymen inside the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex which is the first world title bout ever recorded in the Philippine islands. Garcia also competed with some of the best boxers ever like Barney Ross and Henry Armstrong, whom he denied its fourth title in four weight divisions through a draw. However, in an instant he found his downfall at the hands of Ken Overlin where he was disappointment to his fans, unable to land his famous bolo punch and allowed the challenger to dictate the fight and easily won the title.
On July 20, 1955, Filipino boxing fans saw the birth of Philippine boxing's second golden era as a Cebuano boxer named Flash Elorde beat convincingly the then reigning World Featherweight Champion and later Hall of Famer Sandy Saddler in a non-title bout at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex. Elorde went on to win the World Super Featherweight Championship fom Harold Gomes on March 16, 1960. Elorde kept his world title inside a division record of 7 years and 2 months with 10 successful defenses. Flash Elorde, during his time, was one the busiest fighters who travel to fight every dangerous challengers in almost every two months. Though a great and fearless fighter, Elorde with his humility and protagonistic qualities was the most beloved Filipino athlete since Pancho Villa. In this Elorde inspired period, twenty (20) world champions were created spanning from Roberto Cruz to Gerry Penalosa along with the formation of the "Big Four of Professional Boxing" or the major sanctioning bodies namely - WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO. However, as time goes by, boxing was becoming less popular in the country because of many alternative sports including basketball until Manny Pacquiao came.
A Filipino boxer with a blonde-colored hair and flame trimmed trunks named Manny Pacquiao, was an entertaining star in the local boxing show called "Blow-by-Blow" by the famed Filipino manager and promoter Rod Nazario. Pacquiao's name was so accustomed to the viewers not only because of his aggressive style, but also of his unique looks and catchy surname. No one expects that Pacquiao will be the greatest Filipino fighter ever and one of the greatest the world have ever seen. This marks the beginning of the third greatest era of Philippine boxing and a new wave of Filipino boxers. On December 4, 1998, Pacquiao upset Thai Champion Chatchai Sasakul in Thailand to win the WBC Flyweight Championship (his first world title). On his title defense, Pacquiao lost his title on the scale and was knocked out in the fight by Medgoen Singsurat of Thailand. Pacquiao was unable to the make flyweight limit and move to super bantamweight division. Pacquiao, for the second time in his career, was the heavy underdog against South African Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, the reigning IBF Super Bantamweight Champion. On June 23, 2001, Pacquiao won his second world title in two different weight divisions. In 2003, Pacquiao's career rose to its peak as he stopped the then reigning The Ring Featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico via 11th round technical knockout. From then on, Pacquiao has acquired three lineal (The Ring) titles and four major (WBC & IBF) world titles along six different divisions- flyweight (112 lbs.), super bantamweight (122 lbs.), featherweight (126 lbs.), super featherweight (130 lbs.), lightweight (135 lbs.) and light welterweight (140 lbs.). On, November 14, 2009, Pacquiao surpassed Oscar De la Hoya's record of six-division titles by stopping WBO welterweight champion Miguel Angel Cotto to win his seventh title across seven divisions. One year later, he made history by being the first boxer ever to win eight world titles in eight weight divisions as he dominated Mexican slugger Antonio Margarito to won the vacant WBC Light Middleweight title. Since 2003, Pacquiao amassed a record of 16 wins, 1 loss and 1 draw in his last 18 fights (his only loss came against Mexican Erik Morales, whom he defeated two-times all by knockouts in their trilogy). The Filipino fighter defeated some of the best oppositions available along the way to his superstardom including Mexicans Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez and Antonio Margarito, British Ricky Hatton, Puerto Rican Miguel Angel Cotto, and Americans Oscar De La Hoya and Shane Mosley. The "Pacquiao Wave" regenerate boxing in the Philippines as the new generation of boxers begin to aspire higher, trying to emulate their idol Manny Pacquiao. Nonito Donaire Jr., one of the Pacquiao-wave fighters, became the third Asian to win three world titles in three weight divisions by defeating Mexican Fernando Montiel to claim the WBC and WBO Bantamweight Championships on February 19, 2011.
The Philippines is one of the founding member nations of the World Boxing Council (WBC) and Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF). Filipino boxers also contributed to the history of boxing from rules and techniques to records and achievements. Pancho Villa is not only the first Asian and Filipino world champion but is also described as one of the cleanest boxers before the proper rules were established. Ceferino Garcia is credited as the inventor of the "bolo punch". However, according to Tahoma News-Tribune, a fellow Filipino boxer named Macario Flores was reportedly using it.Gabriel "Flash" Elorde still holds the record for longest reign in the super featherweight or junior lightweight (130 lbs.) division - 7 years, 2 months and 29 days with 10 title defenses. On November 13, 2010, Manny Pacquiao entered the Guinness Book of World Records for being the first ever boxer to win eight world titles in 8 eight different divisions (see also Octuple Champion) by defeating Mexican Antonio Margarito via 12-round unanimous decision to claim the vacant WBC light middleweight champion
| No. | NAME | EVENT | MEDAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jose Villanueva | 1932 Los Angeles Olympics Men's Bantamweight | Bronze Medal |
| 2 | Anthony Villanueva | 1964 Tokyo Olympics Men's Featherweight | Silver Medal |
| 3 | Leopoldo Serrantes | 1988 Seoul Olympics Men's Light Flyweight | Bronze Medal |
| 4 | Roel Velasco | 1992 Barcelona Olympics Men's Light Flyweight | Bronze Medal |
| 5 | Mansueto Velasco | 1996 Atlanta Olympics Men's Light Flyweight | Silver Medal |
LEGENDS:
Major World Champions [Major Sanctioning Bodies: WBA, WBC, IBF & WBO]
Interim World Champions [Interim Sanctioning Bodies: WBA (Interim), WBC (Silver) & WBO (Interim)]
Minor World Champions [Minor Sanctioning Bodies: NBA (defunct), WAA (defunct), IBC, WBF, IBO, WPBF and others]
HoF Hall of Famers [IBHOF (highly regarded) & WBHF (lightly regarded)]
U Undisputed World Champions [Universal (USA & Britain) or Now (Having held 3 of the 4 major titles in a single division)]
L Lineal World Champions [Sanctioning Body: The Ring Magazine (since 1922, ceased publication in 1990-2000s, continued in 2002)]
S Super World Champions [Sanctioning Bodies: WBA (Super), WBC (Emeritus) & WBO (Super)]
H Boxer of Filipino heritage [due to parent's nationality, residence or other circumstances]
C Current World Champions
| No. | NAME | TITLES | DATE | DEFENSES | OUTCOME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pancho Villa [HoF][U][L] | World Flyweight Champion (Undisputed & Lineal) | Jun 16, 1923 | 3 | Vacated[1] |
| 2 | Small Montana | World Flyweight Champion (NYSAC) | Sep 16, 1935 | 1 | Lost[2] |
| 3 | Little Dado | World Flyweight Champion (C.V.) World Bantamweight Champion (C.V.) NBA Flyweight Champion (Minor) |
Nov 30, 1938 Apr 24, 1940 Feb 21, 1941 |
1 0 0 |
Vacated Lost Stripped[3] |
| 4 | Ceferino Garcia [HoF] | NYSAC Middleweight Champion (NYSAC) | Oct 02, 1939 | 2 | Lost[4] |
| 5 | Dado Marino [H][U][L] | World Flyweight Champion (Undisputed & Lineal) | Jul 01, 1950 | 1 | Lost [5] |
| 6 | Flash Elorde [HoF][U][L] | World Super Featherweight Champion (Undisputed & Lineal) Inaugural WBA Super Featherweight Champion (Major) Inaugural WBC Super Featherweight Champion (Major) |
Mar 16, 1960 Feb 16, 1963 Feb 16, 1963 |
10 5 5 |
Lost[6] |
| 7 | Roberto Cruz | WBA Light Welterweight Champion (Major) | Mar 21, 1963 | 0 | Lost[7] |
| 8 | Pedro Adigue Jr. | WBC Light Welterweight Champion (Major) | Dec 14, 1968 | 0 | Lost[8] |
| 9 | Rene Barrientos | WBC Super Featherweight Champion (Major) | Feb 15, 1969 | 0 | Lost[9] |
| 10 | Bernabe Villacampo | WBA Flyweight Champion (Major) | Oct 19, 1969 | 0 | Lost[10] |
| 11 | Erbito Salavarria[L] | WBC Flyweight Champion (Major) & (Lineal) WBA Flyweight Champion (Major) |
Dec 07, 1970 Apr 01, 1975 |
2 1 |
Stripped Lost[11] |
| 12 | Ben Villaflor | WBA Super Featherweight Champion (Major) WBA Super Featherweight Champion (Major) & (Lineal) |
Apr 25, 1972 Oct 17, 1973 |
1 5 |
Lost Lost[12] |
| 13 | Rolando Navarrrete | WBC Super Featherweight Champion (Major) | Aug 29, 1981 | 0 | Lost[13] |
| Andrew Ganigan[H] | WAA Lightweight Champion (Minor) | Oct 31, 1981 | 0 | Vacated[14] | |
| 14 | Frank Cedeno[L] | WBC Flyweight Champion (Major) & (Lineal) | Sep 27, 1983 | 0 | Lost[15] |
| 15 | Bobby Berna | Inaugural IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (Major) | Dec 04, 1983 | 0 | Lost[16] |
| 16 | Dodie Boy Penalosa | Inaugural IBF Light Flyweight Champion (Major) IBF Flyweight Champion (Major) |
Dec 10, 1983 Feb 22, 1987 |
3 0 |
Vacated Lost[17] |
| 17 | Rolando Bohol | IBF Flyweight Champion (Major) | Jan 16, 1988 | 1 | Lost[18] |
| 18 | Tacy Macalos | IBF Light Flyweight Champion (Major) | Nov 04, 1988 | 0 | Lost[19] |
| 19 | Eric Chavez | IBF Minimumweight Champion (Major) | Sep 21, 1989 | 0 | Lost[20] |
| 20 | Lusito Espinosa | WBA Bantamweight Champion (Major) WBC Featherweight Champion (Major) |
Oct 18, 1989 Dec 11, 1995 |
2 7 |
Lost Lost[21] |
| 21 | Jesus Salud | WBA Super Bantamweight Champion (Major) IBC Super Bantamweight Champion (Minor) |
Dec 11, 1989 Jun 07, 1990 |
0 0 |
Stripped Vacated[22] |
| 22 | Rolando Pascua | WBC Light Flyweight Champion (Major) | Dec 09, 1990 | 0 | Lost[23] |
| 23 | Manny Melchor | IBF Minimumweight Champion (Major) | Sep 06, 1992 | 0 | Lost[24] |
| 24 | Morris East | WBA Light Welterweight Champion (Major) | Sep 09, 1992 | 0 | Lost[25] |
| Ronnie Magramo | WBF Minimumweight Champion (Minor) WBF Minimumweight Champion (Minor) |
Jul 09, 1994 Sep 30, 1995 |
2 0 |
Lost Lost[26] |
|
| Amado Cabato | IBO Lightweight Champion (Minor) | Dec 11, 1994 | 0 | Lost[27] | |
| William Magahin | WBF Welterweight Champion (Minor) WBF Welterweight Champion (Minor) |
Mar 25, 1995 Oct 21, 1995 |
1 0 |
Lost Lost[26] |
|
| 25 | Gerry Penalosa | WBC Super Flyweight Champion (Major) WBF Super Flyweight Champion (Minor) WBO Bantamweight Champion (Major) |
Feb 20, 1997 Nov 27, 2004 Aug 11, 2007 |
3 0 1 |
Lost Vacated Stripped[29] |
| 26 | Eric Jamili | WBO Minimumweight Champion (Major) | Dec 19, 1997 | 0 | Lost[30] |
| 27 | Manny Pacquiao [L][S][C] | WBC Flyweight Champion (Major) IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (Major) The Ring World Featherweight Champion Lineal) WBC Super Featherweight Champion (Major) The Ring World Super Featherweight Champion Lineal) WBC Lightweight Champion (Major) IBO Light Welterweight Champion (Minor) The Ring World Light Welterweight Champion Lineal) Current WBO Welterweight Super Champion (Major) WBC Light Middleweight Champion (Major) |
Dec 04, 1998 Jun 23, 2001 Nov 15, 2003 Mar 15, 2008 Mar 15, 2008 Jun 28, 2008 May 02, 2009 May 02, 2009 Nov 14, 2009 Nov 13, 2010 |
1 4 2 0 0 0 0 0 [ 3 ] 0 |
Stripped Vacated Vacated Vacated Vacated Vacated Vacated Vacated Incumbent Vacated[31] |
| 28 | Malcolm Tunacao | WBC Flyweight Champion (Major) | May 19, 2000 | 1 | Lost[33] |
| 29 | Joma Gamboa | WBA Minimumweight Interim Champion (Interim) WBA Minimumweight Regular Champion (Major) |
Dec 04, 1999 Aug 20, 2000 |
1 0 |
Unified Lost[32] |
| Noel Tunacao | IBO Lightweight Champion (Minor) | Mar 08, 2003 | 0 | Stripped[27] | |
| Dindo Castanares | WBF Light Welterweight Champion (Minor) | Dec 11, 2004 | 1 | Stripped[35] | |
| 30 | Brian Viloria[H][C] | WBC Light Flyweight Champion (Major) IBF Light Flyweight (Minor) WBO Flyweight Champion (Major) |
Sep 10, 2005 Apr 19, 2009 Jul 16, 2011 |
1 1 [ 0 ] |
Lost Lost Incumbent[36] |
| Dondon Sultan | WBF Light Welterweight Champion (Minor) | Nov 25, 2006 | 0 | Lost[37] | |
| 31 | Florante Condes | IBF Minimumweight Champion (Major) | Jul 07, 2007 | 0 | Lost[38] |
| 32 | Nonito Donaire Jr.[C] | IBF Flyweight Champion (Major) IBO Flyweight Champion (Minor) WBA Super Flyweight Interim Champion (Interim) Current WBC Bantamweight Champion (Major) Current WBO Bantamweight Champion (Major) |
Jul 07, 2007 Jul 07, 2007 Aug 15, 2009 Feb 19, 2011 Feb 19, 2011 |
3 3 1 [ 1 ] [ 1 ] |
Vacated Vacated Vacated Incumbent incumbent[39] |
| 33 | Donnie Nietes[C] | WBO Minimumweight Champion (Major) WBO Light Flyweight Champion (Major) |
Sep 30, 2007 Oct 08, 2011 |
4 [ 0 ] |
Vacated[40] |
| 34 | Marvin Sonsona | WBO Super Flyweight Champion (Major) | Sep 04, 2009 | 1 | Stripped[41] |
| Michael Farenas | Current WPBF Featherweight Champion (Minor) | Oct 03, 2009 | 0 | Incumbent[42] | |
| 35 | Rodel Mayol | WBC Light Flyweight Champion (Major) | Nov 21, 2009 | 1 | Lost[43] |
| Johnriel Casimiro | WBO Light Flyweight Interim Champion (Interim) | Dec 19, 2009 | 0 | Lost[44] | |
| Edrin Dapudong | WBC Silver Flyweight Champion (Interim) | Jun 19, 2010 | 0 | Lost[45] | |
| Drian Francisco | WBA Super Flyweight Interim Champion (Interim) | Nov 30, 2010 | 0 | Lost[46] | |
| Sylvester Lopez | Current WBC Silver Super Flyweight Champion (Interim) | Sep 24, 2011 | [ 0 ] | Incumbent[47] | |
| Denver Cuello | Current WBC Silver Minimumweight Champion (Interim) | Oct 15, 2011 | [ 0 ] | Incumbent[48] |
| Name | Organization | Division | Date won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manny Pacquiao | World Boxing Organization | Welterweight | November 14, 2009 |
| Nonito Donaire Jr. | World Boxing Council & World Boxing Organization | Bantamweight | February 19, 2011 |
| Brian Viloria | World Boxing Organization | Flyweight | July 16, 2011 |
| Donnie Nietes | World Boxing Organization | Light Flyweight | October 8, 2011 |
| Sylvester Lopez | World Boxing Council Silver | Super Flyweight | September 24, 2011 |
| Denver Cuello | World Boxing Council Silver | Minimumweight | October 15, 2011 |
| Michael Farenas | World Professional Boxing Federation | Featherweight | October 3, 2009 |
^ A look at the history of boxing in the Philippines - ESPN via Don Stradley, June 25, 2008
^ The Origins of Philippine Boxing - Journal of Combative Sport via Joseph R. Svinth, July 2001
^ Filipino World Champions - Boxrec.com
^ World Champions by Nationality - Boxrec.com
^ Filipino American Boxers - Boxrec.com
^ Former World Champions - Philboxing.com
^ Current Champions - Philboxing.com
^ Pinoy Boxing Champions - Fight Sports Philippines
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