Mayor Lim Pays Tribute To Boxing Hero Pancho Villa

MAYOR LIM PAYS TRIBUTE TO BOXING HERO PANCHO VILLA

 
 
 
from left to right:  Dr. Ponciano Menguito, Division of City Schools-Manila superintendent, Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim, Dr. Nasser Cruz, Boxing Chief, Games and Amusements Board and Paul Edward Almario, Manila Sports Council vice-chairman.
 
 
 

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim paid tribute to Filipino boxing hero and the first Asian to become world flyweight champion Francisco Guilledo who took the ring name Pancho Villa on his 84th death anniversary Tuesday, at Pancho Villa’s monument at the North Cemetery. 

Lim, in extolling Pancho Villa who was the first of two Filipino world champions to be enshrined in the Boxing Hall of Fame – the other being the late, great Gabriel  “Flash” Elorde – said, heroes are not just people who shed their lives for their country.

Mayor Lim said we should never forget to show our debt of gratitude, a trait we acquired from our ancestors, to those people who fought for our country and brought pride to our nation.

Shortly after his arrival in the US, the flamboyant Villa knocked out American flyweight champion Johnny Buff in the 11th round of a non-title fight on September 11, 1922 and stunned the boxing world by knocking out Jimmy “Mighty Atom” Wilde in the 7th round to capture the flyweight championship of the world on June 18, 1993 before some 30,000 fans at the Polo Ground in New York.

Despite having a wisdom tooth extracted Pancho Villa went ahead with a non-title bout against Jimmy McLarnin on July 4, 1925 and lost  Ten days later he died of blood poisoning caused by an infected gum although his death was shrouded in controversy...

Pancho who had 73 wins against 5 losses and 4 draws with 22 wins coming by way of knockouts was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994. Earlier, Ring Magazine added Pancho Villa’s name to its own “Hall of Fame.”

Among the key officials who attended the wreath laying were: City Schools Superintendent, Dr. Ponciano Menguito; Paul Edward Almario, Manila Sports Council vice-chairman and Dr. Nasser Cruz, chief of the ames and Amusements Board boxing division.