All-Time Greatest Filipino Professional Boxers
Great Filipino ring gladiators.
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Professional boxing is one of the most entertaining sports in the world since its introduction more than a hundred years ago. It is also a sport where one can be famous and rich like Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay), Rocky Marciano, Oscar Dela Hoya, Floyd Mayweather, Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Hagler, Hearns, Julio Cesar Chaves, Lennox Lewis, and many others.
Filipino boxers had also made a great impact on this sport. Scores of Filipino boxers were able to capture numerous championship belts in different weight categories. Here’s a list of All-Time Greatest Filipino boxers.
Gabriel “Flash” Elorde (1935-1985)
Gabriel “Flash” Elorde is regarded “the greatest world junior lightweight boxing champion in WBC history in 1974”; for defending his title in 10 bouts for seven years, making him the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion ever; and for being inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.He won a total of 79 bouts in his professional boxing career.
Elorde became a world champion in the 130-pound division on March 16, 1960 when he knocked out American Harold Gomes at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City. Since then, he has defended his title in 10 bouts for seven years, making him the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion ever. He finally lost to Japanese Yoshiaki Numata in a 15-round match in Tokyo on June 15, 1967.
Pancho Villa
Pancho Villa, for being considered the greatest flyweight of the century; for becoming Asia’s first world champion in boxing; and for being inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame and International Boxing Hall of Fame. He was one of only four Asians enshrined into the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994. He was also inducted to the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
Born as Francisco Guilledo in Ilog, Negros Occidental on August 1, 1901, he began his boxing career in 1919 and adopted the name Pancho Villa after a famous Mexican revolutionary leader.
After his successful bids in the Philippines, he went to New York in pursuit of international bouts. Known for his whirlwind style, Villa, then 22, knocked out reigning world flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde of England in the seventh round at New York’s Polo Grounds on June 18, 1923.
Ceferino Garcia
Ceferino Garcia was the heaviest Filipino ever who became a world-boxing champion. Known for his bolo punch, he captured the world middleweight title on October 2, 1939 when he knocked out Fred Apostoli in New York. He defended his crown against top rivals twice (Americans Glen Lee and Henry Armstrong) before losing his title in May 1940. Before he switched to the middleweight division, Garcia became a welterweight champion when he knocked out boxing legend and war hero Barney Ross in 1937 and Henry Armstrong in 1938.
In 1977, Ceferino Garcia was inducted into the Ring Magazine Hall of Fame and into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1981.
Luisito Espinosa
For five years, Luisito “Lindol” Espinosa has held two different world-boxing titles: the World Boxing Council (WBC) featherweight crown and the World Boxing Association (WBA) bantamweight belt. He was feted the “Athlete of the Year” award twice.
Gerry “Fearless” Peñalosa
Gerry Peñalosa won the World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight crown on February 20, 1997 and was able to defend it three times until August 1998. In June 1999, he knocked out a Mexican fighter to clinch the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) North American junior bantamweight title in Mississippi. Geronimo “Gerry” Peñalosa is a Filipino boxer in the bantamweight division.
He is the current WBO bantamweight champion. He snatched the title via knock-out win over a Mexican boxer at the age of 36 years. Peñalosa has never been knocked down in 60 professional fights.
Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao – The Greatest Asian Champ of All-Time
Manny Pacquiao, one of the finest Filipino power punchers, is a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) world super bantamweight champion and a former World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight champion. He is the current super flyweight champion becoming the first Asian to win three championship belts in three different weight categories.
He was the first Filipino to clinch a world boxing title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena where he floored Lehlo Ledwaba of South Africa in the sixth round to bag the IBF super bantamweight title in June 2001. Before this, Pacquiao knocked out a Thai champion in the 8th round of their match in Bangkok on December 3, 1998 to win the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title.
He will be fighting for a higher weight category this month, and if he wins the fight, he will be the first Asian to win four championship belts in four different weight categories that will eventually make him the greatest Filipino champ but also the greatest Asian Champ.
Its official, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is the greatest Asian champ of all time. By knocking down David Diaz on the ninth round on their June 29, 2008 encounter in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada and becoming the new lightweight champion of the world, he now holds the record as the “First Asian to hold 4 belt championships in four different weight categories.”
Emmie
49 Comments
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! Mabuhay si Manny Pacquiao. Thanks for posting this, bro. From a fellow pinoy.
good article buddy. well done.
Good article. Boxing is a sport thar I always enjoy watching.
Nice article!!!!
Keep it up!!!
It’s something we should be proud of in one way or another!
I love boxing. Great article.
Great list. Sometimes we in North America forget that other places have their icons and stars as well. Thank you for reminding us of the great boxers from your part of the world.
I have never watched a lot of boxing but I loved Mahammed Ali. It broke my heart when he left the ring.
Nice article!Keep it up!
I don’t know much about boxing, but I know about Pancho Villa, I was glad to see that he was on your list.
I’m not an avid fan of boxing but as with any sport there are exceptional participants who capture your attention.
great article, thank you for sharing.
Nobert, you have put this article together very nicely. Great job.
I guess you got to be a real fan, to like this sport. I do and so does my son. His only 4 and a half and he’s making cream pies out of all his contenders on the Wii. His already more than 55% becoming a professional on it, but I can’t even make the 30%. How does he do it? I didn’t teach him but he’s very quick with the punching and he even does his 12 year old brother down, crikey!!! Fantastic article.
great article! Boxing definitely is a hard sport!
It’s official, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is the greatest Asian champ of all time. By knocking down David Diaz on the ninth round on their June 29, 2008 encounter in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada and becoming the new lightweight champion of the world, he now hold the record as the “first ASIAN to hold 4 belt championships in four different weight categories.”
I have too say that in boxing Filipinos can throw their history book and be respected about it, because according to the boxing historians they haved made an impressive history about boxing. Trully asias best, bar non.
Manny “PACMAN” Pacquiao is the greatest asian boxer ever. He is the “MEXECUTIONER”
Lookout for the next filipino boxer, HAROLD VENTURINA… a 26 year old late bloomer from Elmhurst, NY. He just started boxing about a year ago and he’s going to turn into an amatuer soon… The guy’s got potential. Very quick and strong. He’s on youtube.. “Harold Venturina Sparring”. he still need to refine his skills.. but a very quick learner… HAROLD VENTURINA
thank you all,i appreciate your support very much!!
Look out for the next filipino boxer from Elmhurst, NY. A late bloomer.. 26 year old who just started about a year and a half ago.. Very Quick and Strong. walking weight around 150 but will turn amatuer soon at 135. Still need to refine his skills but hes got alot of potential… keep track of his progress.. tell everyone u know so u can say.. u knew who he was before he was even on the scene.. He’s on Youtube under “HAROLD VENTURINA SPARRING”
wh0o0o0o!!! ipamuka sa buong mundo na ang pilipino ay di basta! proud to be pinoy! laban pinoy!
thanks for this very good article…this proves that we have lots of filipino hall of famer boxers not just manny paquiao.
sana pag magretire c manny’ sana ang pumalit ay kasing galing din nya…
good article keep it up.. mabuhay ang pinoy ..
outstanding! to all filipino boxers..tnx so much for bringin’ us (Filipino) out there! u all ROCK! pls Keep it up.
and also..tnx to nobert for this very article..
keep it.
mahaba-haba n rin ang listahan natin bilang kampeon sa world boxing pero mas maganda sana kung magkaroon din tayo ng listahan ng mga boxing golds sa olympics.
Don’t forget to now add Oscar de la Hoya to the list of victims of the outstanding talents and skills of Manny Pacquiao!!!!!!
its very inspiring the stories that you put in here at san dumami pang pinoy ang magsikap at tumulad sa mga naging boxer natin na patuloy na lumalaban para ipakita galing ng pinoy at sana sa gobyerno din natin at batas ipakita ang galing din
Naipanganak na sa ngayon ang tatalo sa syo, Manny. But follow the golden rule of your boxing profession. Kami ay nasa likod mo at nananalagin sa iyong mas mahabang tagumpay.
Simply they are the most winningest Filipino fighters of all time.
We are the Champion my friends (boxing heroes).
kulang to wag nyo kalimutan si ROLANDO NAVARETTE
Hands down!!!Filipinos are one of the best boxers in the world. Brave malay blood that’s what Filipinos got.
Good Luck to all filipino boxers, wishing to have many best filipino
boxers to come… hopefully one of my relatives.
big deal you have a few champions mexico has had more than 150
julio cesar chavez the original “exicutioner” would have been a very good nick name for him he would have nockout pacquiao probably in the 7th round he got to be 90-0 which is the best record in boxing history.and was a six time world champion in 3 different categories.
hey… as you said mexico has more than 150 champions…
so why are you still so affected with this article?… is it because
manny pacquiao won over mexicans several times? stop your sour
graping… stop the “would have” as it will never happen…
be proud of your champions (not by bashing others) as we are proud of ours.
*great article mr. nobert. thank you for sharing.
aztig!!!,.,. freestyle to move so you neva lose!!,.,. yan!,, yan lamang ang masasabi ko sa mga champs natin!!,.,. wla silang katulad talaga!!,.,. kahit mas gwapo sila ng ilang tagpi sayo idol (manny) laging mong tatandaan.,,. FACE DOESN’T MATTER,.., “WALA SA PORMA ANG LAKAS”…. durugin mo sila, TIG-A man kita YAH.,. fotarzz… hay sumbag dasun,.,. heheheh.,,.
very great article Mr. Nobert Bermosa
In my opinion the list would have been this way;
1 Manny Pacquiao
2 Flash Elorde
3 Pancho Villa
4 Little Dado
5 Gerry Peñalosa
6 Ceferino Garcia
7 Ben Villaflor
8 Luisito Espinosa
9 Dodie Boy Peñalosa
10 Erbito Salavarria
Mabuhay!!! the golden age of filipino boxers is happening again with the boxing supremo Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao eading the way.Here is a haiku I composed for Manny:
Filipino pride
Manny Pacquiao conquers the world
Boxing supremo…
Domo arigato gozaimasu…Love from Tokyo.Guitar Mike…
Mabuhay!!! the golden age of filipino boxers is happening again with the boxing supremo Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao leading the way.Here is a haiku I composed for Manny:
Filipino pride
Manny Pacquiao conquers the world
Boxing supremo…
Domo Arigato Gozaimasu…Love from Tokyo. Guitar Mike…
How can the Docusen brothers not be on this list? Bernard Docusen damn near beat Ray Robinson. His brother Maxie had like a 50 fight win streak but never got a shot at the title at lightweight. I would say Bernie should be top three easy.
Filipino boxers suck. All you got is paquiao. That’s it. You guys aren’t great now shut up. Blacks, Mexican, and purto ricans.
hey mexiboxer please respect the article, and your right paquiao is all we got… and his list of KOed mexican boxers hahaha! MEXI-CUTIONER!
MANNY DPT MNG TALUNIN SI COTO PRA IKA PRN ANG NO.1 SA LHT. KNG NA TALO KA OK LNG DHL NO.1 KPRN SA AMIN DTO VISAYAS:::::::::::::::::
greatest boxer on the world top
1.manny pacman pacquaio
won 50 loss 3 draw 2 ko 38
2.floyd mayweather jr.
won 40 loss 0 draw 0 ko 25
3.juan manuel marquez
won 50 loss 5 draw 2 ko 37
4.sugar ray robinson
won 120 loss 20 draws 5 ko 109
5.archie moore
won 165 loss 20 draws 17 ko 103
6.ted kid lewis
won 195 loss 25 draw 22 ko 131
7.buck smith
won 165 loss 32 draws 0 ko 98
8.muhammad ali
won 56 loss 6 draws 0 ko 32
greatest losser
1.vic likoyuki
won 12 loss 342 draws 0 ko 11
Nonito Donaire should be on there too.
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Everone seems to forget George Lee who was from the Philippines. He lost a close one to Pancho Villia.
George was Max Bears Trainer when he was the world champion.