1,000th Post: The Greatest Filipino Fighters

For the THRILLAinMANILA/Asian Storm's 1,000th post, he'd like to share with you some history on the 3 Filipino Boxing Greats. Its not all Pacquiao for the Philippines. Two of them have been enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame (Pancho Villa and Flash Elorde), while the other, Ceferino Garcia is a prime candidate for enshrinement soon (he has been enshrined only in the World Boxing Hall Of Fame). Pancho Villa (Francisco Guilledo)-(Flyweight/ Bantamweight) 105-73(22 KOs)-5-4 - Considered by many as the Greatest Asian Fighter in History - The First Asian World Champion - Also regarded as the Greatest Flyweight of the century Won the world flyweight title from Jimmy Wilde at the Polo Grounds in 1923. Wilde had only two losses going into the fight. Was testing the waters in the Bantamweight division when he died. Died at the age of 23, soon after facing Jimmy McLarnin with a swollen jaw, an infected tooth having been extracted just hours before he climbed the ring. Gabriel "Flash" Elorde (Feather/Jr. Light/ Light) 117 - 88 (33 KOs)-27- 2 Acknowledged as the first, widely recognized, Jr. Lightweight world title holder (the division had just been created) after trashing Harold Gomes. Had failed campaigns in the featherweight division, but can look back to a win over the immortal Sandy Saddler by points in a non-title fight in Manila (Saddler subsequently evened the score by KO'ing Elorde in a title bout in NY). Went up to Lightweight --even as he held on to the Jr. Light title-- to face Carlos Ortiz but was KOd. He went back down to Jr. Light; then not too long after, lost the title. His multiple meetings with Tirou Kosaka of Japan for the Oriental Lightweight crown were sagas many classify as equal to those of any Asian boxing rivalries. Elorde won each of those meetings. Ceferino Garcia (welterweight/ middleweight) 100 wins (65 KOs), 27 losses, 9 draws. Memorable fights: Won the World Middleweight crown from Fred Apostoli on Oct 2, 1939 in Madison Square Garden via a bolo punch in the 7th round. Lost a controversial decision to and also held the immortal Henry Armstrong to a draw., in two encounters. (for the World Welterweight title in 1938 and the World Middleweight title in 1940) Credited with inventing the "Bolo Punch", now illegal. Some in the New York press speculated at the time that were it not for the presence of Armstrong, Garcia would have been the main force at welterweight. Garcia also met the great Barney Ross and lost a close decision. Other Filipino fighters worthy of note: 1. Luisito "Lindol" Espinosa - Former WBC Featherweight Champion 2. Gerry Penalosa - Comebacking former WBC Superflyweight Champion 3. Dodie Boy Penalosa - Former IBF Flyweight Champion 4. Rolando "The Guns Of" Navarette - Former IBF Jr. Lightweight Champion Cheers ! :)

Comments (20)

DITTO ..... Keep it coming buddy.. you are an asset to the site :)THANKS TO YOU, too, Pal! :)

21y ago

THRILLAinmanila

DITTO ..... Keep it coming buddy.. you are an asset to the site :)

21y ago

grayfist

another good job grayfist...keep it coming :)Thanks pal! :)

21y ago

JOMS

JIMMY McLARNIN, the last man whom PANCHO VILLA faced before he died, passed on only October of last year. If it is true that one can gauge the greatness of a fighter by looking at the opposition he faced, then, let's go and meet JIMMY McLARNIN. Born in Hillborough, County Down, Northern Island, his family emigrated to Canada when Jimmy was only 3 and settled in Vancouver. He took up boxing at the age of ten, after life-time manager and trainer, Carles "Pop" Foster, spotted him in a fistfight that had resulted from arguing over newspapers. Jimmy peddled newspapers on the streets. Foster built a make-shift gym just for Jimmy. Some time later, Foster and Jimmy went to San Francisco where his youthful looks made it tough for him to get fights; he earned instead the moniker, "Baby Face". He had power in both hands--his right was particularly feared. In later years (in or around 1930), after having broken his hands several times, he shifted from slugging to boxing. But on the night that he met Villa in 1923 at the Polo Grounds in NY, he brought that power. Villa brought a swollen jaw (from tooth extraction just hours before going up the ring). That fight ended in a UD for McLarnin. McLarnin lost his first title shot (the Villa fight was non-title) on May 21,1928 also in NY to the reigning lightweight champion, Sammy Mandel, whom he would subsequently beat two times. It would take 5 years before McLarnin again was given a title bid. He faced welterweight champ Young Corbett III and took Corbett out in only 2 minutes 37 seconds! Short night! :eek: He had three epic battles vs. the great jewish idol, Barney Ross: he won one (the 2nd) and lost two. All three were world welterweight title fights. Jimmy, till the end of his days, never accepted that he lost the third fight to Ross. McLarnin retired in November 1936, still pretty much at the top of his game: he won his last two fights against fighters who eventually went to Canastota, namely, Tony Canzonerri and Lou Ambers! His record when he hanged his mitts for good: 62W, 11L, 3D and 1 NC. After boxing, McLarnin lived a life of comfort--some even say, "wealth". He had invested his money well. He owned a fairly sized electrical store, went into acting and lectured at the sides. In 1996, THE RING (Magazine) named McLarnin the 5th greatest welterweight of all-time. :) That's a lot if your stacked up against the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson, Barney Ross, Harry Greb...Awesome fella, that Jimmy! :D another good job grayfist...keep it coming :)

21y ago

JOMS

OK i'll try to post here the thread of 'Jawo' and some valuable info as well from 'p_montero' and 'boholano', these 3 are Pacland's gurus of Phil. boxing. Labintador's collection of Pinoy boxers' info is awesome as well. waiting for that post muay...

21y ago

grayfist

JIMMY McLARNIN, the last man whom PANCHO VILLA faced before he died, passed on only October of last year. If it is true that one can gauge the greatness of a fighter by looking at the opposition he faced, then, let's go and meet JIMMY McLARNIN. Born in Hillborough, County Down, Northern Island, his family emigrated to Canada when Jimmy was only 3 and settled in Vancouver. He took up boxing at the age of ten, after life-time manager and trainer, Carles "Pop" Foster, spotted him in a fistfight that had resulted from arguing over newspapers. Jimmy peddled newspapers on the streets. Foster built a make-shift gym just for Jimmy. Some time later, Foster and Jimmy went to San Francisco where his youthful looks made it tough for him to get fights; he earned instead the moniker, "Baby Face". He had power in both hands--his right was particularly feared. In later years (in or around 1930), after having broken his hands several times, he shifted from slugging to boxing. But on the night that he met Villa in 1923 at the Polo Grounds in NY, he brought that power. Villa brought a swollen jaw (from tooth extraction just hours before going up the ring). That fight ended in a UD for McLarnin. McLarnin lost his first title shot (the Villa fight was non-title) on May 21,1928 also in NY to the reigning lightweight champion, Sammy Mandel, whom he would subsequently beat two times. It would take 5 years before McLarnin again was given a title bid. He faced welterweight champ Young Corbett III and took Corbett out in only 2 minutes 37 seconds! Short night! :eek: He had three epic battles vs. the great jewish idol, Barney Ross: he won one (the 2nd) and lost two. All three were world welterweight title fights. Jimmy, till the end of his days, never accepted that he lost the third fight to Ross. McLarnin retired in November 1936, still pretty much at the top of his game: he won his last two fights against fighters who eventually went to Canastota, namely, Tony Canzonerri and Lou Ambers! His record when he hanged his mitts for good: 62W, 11L, 3D and 1 NC. After boxing, McLarnin lived a life of comfort--some even say, "wealth". He had invested his money well. He owned a fairly sized electrical store, went into acting and lectured at the sides. In 1996, THE RING (Magazine) named McLarnin the 5th greatest welterweight of all-time. :) That's a lot if you're stacked up against the likes of Sugar Ray Robinson, Barney Ross, Harry Greb...Awesome fella, that Jimmy! :D

21y ago

muay

online ka na naman ? buti ka pa maraming time ! ok if I have time I'll look it up. but pls feel free to add some info here if you happen to read some threads ther :) OK i'll try to post here the thread of 'Jawo' and some valuable info as well from 'p_montero' and 'boholano', these 3 are Pacland's gurus of Phil. boxing. Labintador's collection of Pinoy boxers' info is awesome as well.

21y ago

THRILLAinmanila

bro meron nga pala ako nabasa isang thread sa pacland tungkol sa pinoy boxing history kung makukuha mo sana yon marami din info doon... online ka na naman ? buti ka pa maraming time ! ok if I have time I'll look it up. but pls feel free to add some info here if you happen to read some threads ther :)

21y ago

nadz

bro meron nga pala ako nabasa isang thread sa pacland tungkol sa pinoy boxing history kung makukuha mo sana yon marami din info doon...

21y ago

kadyos

thanks bro !! :D Congrats nga pala bro!

21y ago

THRILLAinmanila

I see that you're past the 1,000th post mark pal :) WTG Thrilla! Better late than never. :D Thanks for the info on great Filipino fighters...that goes the same to you too Grayfist. thanks bro !! :D

21y ago

grayfist

Very insightful observation ! Seems we have a lot of high-caliber lefties in the Phils. :cool:Thanks! You do, indeed! Here are a few more lefties: Rolando Navarrete- won the WBC Jr. Light title from Cornelio Boza-Edwards Rolando Bohol- avenged Dodie's loss (as Joma mentioned in an earlier post) to Chang Ho Choi but subsequenlty lost it to Duke McKenzie Rolando Pascua (what's with the name Rolando, lefties and Filipino World champs, anyway?! ;) )- took the WBC jr. fly title from Humberto Gonzales but lost it to Melchor Cob Castro, who lost it to Gonzalez. Frank Cedeno- won the WBC Fly title from Charlie Magri at Wembley. He now resides here in the east; Jersey, it was said; last I heard he has his own bake shop. And, Dodie, too, was a southpaw! There was a story that went around that Luisito started as a southpaw but was converted by his father, Deo (?), to adopt the orthodox stance. :)

21y ago

grayfist

I see that you're past the 1,000th post mark pal :) WTG Thrilla! Better late than never. :D Thanks for the info on great Filipino fighters...that goes the same to you too Grayfist.Thanks pal :)

21y ago

muay

I see that you're past the 1,000th post mark pal :) WTG Thrilla! Better late than never. :D Thanks for the info on great Filipino fighters...that goes the same to you too Grayfist.

21y ago

grayfist

yap, me too i just point it out too... :pYou did? Didn't see it! Couldn't find it! Where is it? Hope not blown away by typhoon winds! ;)

21y ago

nadz

Hey, THRILLA...,ol' pal; just noticed...in those pix of Filipino champs you got, there are three southpaws and three orthodox! The four are obvious with their preferred stances (and Pac as everyone knows is a lefty), but Garcia, who is rowing, was an orthodox fighter! Just thought I should point it out... ;) :D yap, me too i just point it out too... :p

21y ago

THRILLAinmanila

21y ago

THRILLAinmanila

Thrilla congrats on the 1,000th post !! you rock dude :cool: Salamat pare !

21y ago

KillerBlow

Thrilla congrats on the 1,000th post !! you rock dude :cool:

21y ago

grayfist

21y ago