1,000th Post: The Greatest Filipino Fighters

[grayfist]

Yup Nigel Collins it is ! How come you know so much about Filipino boxing ?? You must be heavily involved in the sport ?

Nah, pal, I know only as much as an average fan does. Well, ok. I love boxing and I love the Philippines (for over a decade now) so I guess those two passions, put together, got me to know more than the usual about Filipino pugs. IF I do know (???) more than usual...LOL!!!

I do have friends though who are deep into the sport. Asians, North Americans, South Americans and a handful of Europeans. I was introduced to them by friends who, like me are boxing-batty.

[grayfist]

I hear that Gerry's targetting Rafa, high-reward but very high-risk fight IMO. I hope he trains his sights on his ex-victim instead, the current WBO bantamweight champ or the aging WBC bantamweight champ. If he does decide to fight either one of these Thai champs, i'll bet all my points in the bank ...Gerry Penalosa will become a world champion once more next year.

I'm tipping my hat, pal!

[THRILLAinmanila]

Nah, pal, I know only as much as an average fan does. Well, ok. I love boxing and I love the Philippines (for over a decade now) so I guess those two passions, put together, got me to know more than the usual about Filipino pugs. IF I do know (???) more than usual...LOL!!!

I do have friends though who are deep into the sport. Asians, North Americans, South Americans and a handful of Europeans. I was introduced to them by friends who, like me are boxing-batty.

well, you're as good and informed a boxing fan if I ever saw one

[grayfist]

well, you're as good and informed a boxing fan if I ever saw one

Coming from you, THAT's SOMETHING!!! Thanks, pal!

I guess it's just that when friends get together we kick around boxing trivia and stuff over drinks; much in the manner of baseball buffs...

[JOM'S]

Coming from you, THAT's SOMETHING!!! Thanks, pal!

I guess it's just that when friends get together we kick around boxing trivia and stuff over drinks; much in the manner of baseball buffs...

buddy, i am interested to share to the other guys about dodie boy penalosa, gerry penalosa's older brother, i personally think that gerry fell short of dodie boy's accomplishement, but this is only what i remember during my youth...

any comment from you on this my friend will be appreciated..

[grayfist]

buddy, i am interested to share to the other guys about dodie boy penalosa, gerry penalosa's older brother, i personally think that gerry fell short of dodie boy's accomplishement, but this is only what i remember during my youth...

any comment from you on this my friend will be appreciated..

Thanks for the trust, pal!

Doddie may well be the biggest over-achiever in the history of Philippine boxing-- he limped his way to stardom!

A victim of polio soon after birth (making one leg inches shorter than the other), he got into boxing early, his father having been a national belt holder and his uncle as well-- referred to as the Penalosa brothers (the first set, as it later turned out). Carl, as I can recall, was the older and a Jr. Welter while Ric was a Jr. Light; don't know which is Dodie's pa.

Anyway, somewhere around the age of 12 Dodie started getting into amateur contests. That got people sneering: what was a polio victim doing in the ring?! But the sneering stopped when he kept on winning. From their home in Negros island, they went to Cebu, the whole kith and caboodle-- Jonathan and Gerry in tow. That was not a tough move, though, because both Carl and Ric were Cebu-based when they were campaigning.

It was right around the time that they made the move to Cebu that certain promoters formed the IBF. The brothers (Dodie, Jerry and Jonathan) got their attention. IBF held eliminations for its version of the Jr. Fly title. After a series of eliminators featuring Japanese, Thai and Korean fighters, Dodie emerged champ, TKOing (5) Satoshi Shingaki in Osaka, in a bout that was not sanctioned by the Japanese Boxing Commission which was still enclined to support the WBC and the WBA.

He defended the title against Joe Hong Kim in Seoul (TKO9), Jum Huan Choi in Manila (UD15), compatriot Amado Ursua (UD10) and Yani Docukimo in Jakarta (KO3).

He vacated the title in October 1986; to begin his campaign in the fly division against Soon Jung Kang (UD10).

He quickly went up against Hilario Zapata for the WBA Fly belt but lost on decision in 15 rounds.

He picked up the pieces in a fight against Young Il-Choi whom he KOd in the 5th.

A mere 4 months later, and less than 10 months after the loss to Zapata, he sought out the IBF Fly belt and trashed Hi-Sup Chin in 5.

He lost his second title 6 months later, on his first defense, to Chung Ho Choi as he was KOd in the 11th as Filipino fans watched sadly in a fight staged at the famed Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City (site of the Thrillah in Manila).

Five fights later, he tried again for a world corwn. He met then IBF Fly titlist Dave McAuley in London but lost a Split Decision.

Doddie fought 16 more times before retiring; he lost only to the likes of Filipino compatriot Rolando Bohol, Rolando Pascua,(how many Filipino world champs are named Rolando?! ) Manny Melchor---fighters who went on to reign as world champs in their own right.

Dodie finished with a record of 31-7-2 (13KOs)
*****
For trivia buffs:

Jonathan, the brother (younger than Doddie but older than Gerry)who also went into boxing, fought between 1985 and 1993 and ended his career with a record of 15-4-1.

Gerry's record stands at 48 (33)-5-2

A cousin, Henry who was a Superfeatherweight, followed the Penalosa brothers into the ring but never won a fight. He finished with a 0-8-0 record.

[JOM'S]

thanks for that info on dodie boy, buddy, I remember cheering for the guy when I was a lot younger, i really thought that he unified at least two belts, but maybe i was just awe struck as a kid and was not able to follow much on Gerry's career, now i see the reason why every time there is a list made for greatest Filipino Champions, Gerry's name usually comes first before dodie's...


another trivia...
Rolando Bohol avenge dodie boy's loss to Chung Ho Choi returning back to the Philippines the championship belt...

[THRILLAinmanila]

The Legend of Pancho Villa
- From the International Boxing Hall of Fame Annals

Born: Aug. 1, 1901
Died: July 14, 1925
Total Bouts: 105
Won: 73
Lost: 5
Drew: 4
KOs: 22
No Decisions: 23
Induction: 1994


Pancho Villa is considered by many to be the greatest Asian fighter in boxing history. Just over five feet tall, Villa was explosive and unrelenting in the ring. He had fought 105 times, sometimes with as little as a week between bouts, by the time of his death at age 24. Born Francisco Guilledo on the island of Panay in the Philippines, Villa often fought with other boys in his village. His reputation with his fists brought him to the attention of promoter Frank Churchill in Manila. Impressed with the then-80-pound fighter, Churchill began handling Villa and, reportedly, named him after the famous Mexican bandit.
Villa fought exclusively in the Philippines from 1919 through April 1922, often facing much larger men. In that time, he lost only three fights and captured two Filipino titles. In 1922, Churchill took Villa to the United States. The young Filipino fought two no-decision bouts in New Jersey, losing-according to the newspapers-to Abe Goldstein and Frankie Genaro. The America press and public were at first slow to take notice of Villa. Churchill had difficulty arranging fights in major venues until, for almost no money, he got Villa and another Filipino, Elino Flores, on a card at Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Each fighter won his bout, and the crowd gave Villa a standing ovation.

Three months after his arrival in the U.S., Villa knocked out Johnny Buff in eleven rounds to win the American flyweight title. Genaro took the title back in 1923 in a 15-round decision that most observers believed belonged to Villa. Meanwhile, British flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde had come to New York seeking the world title. Although Genaro was a likely opponent, the now wildly popular Villa was considered a better draw. In the match at New York's Polo Grounds, Villa displayed his relentless, attacking style, peppering Wilde with punches from both hands. In the seventh round, Villa battered Wilde to a state of helplessness, ending the fight and Wilde's career.

Although a proposed rematch with Genaro never took place, Villa defended his title several times in the U.S. and the Philippines. Villa fought in a non-title bout with Jimmy McLarnin on July 4, 1925 in Oakland. Weak from the recent extraction of a wisdom tooth, Villa lost the decision. It was to be his last fight. Another visit to the dentist resulted in the discovery of an infection and the extraction of three more teeth. Villa ignored the dentist's instructions to rest and return for a follow-up visit, and instead indulged in a week-long party. The infection worsened, and by the time Villa's trainer, Whitey Ekwert, discovered the fighter's distress and rushed him to the hospital, it was too late. Villa died in the hospital of Ludwig's Angina, an infection of the throat cavity.

ey kb this is for you to know more about the Great Pancho Villa of Philippine boxing...

[psychopath]

Better late than never Bro Trilla!

Keep PUNCHING!!!

[grayfist]

thanks for that info on dodie boy, buddy, I remember cheering for the guy when I was a lot younger, i really thought that he unified at least two belts, but maybe i was just awe struck as a kid and was not able to follow much on Gerry's career, now i see the reason why every time there is a list made for greatest Filipino Champions, Gerry's name usually comes first before dodie's...


another trivia...
Rolando Bohol avenge dodie boy's loss to Chung Ho Choi returning back to the Philippines the championship belt...

Well, buddy, you're not the only one! I, myself, favor putting Doddie higher, at least, than Gerry in Filipino champs' rankings; not because he had better opposition (he didn't), not because he had more defenses (he didn't)...not because of the usual reasons. It's because, everytime Dodie went up the ring, he carried that handicap and had to fight with and beyond it!

I have seen several threads on this site that spoke of HEART. Now, THAT's HEART! Also, he was among the least averse among Filipino champs (and loads of non-Filipino champs) to defend his title in the hometowns of his foes! Now, THAT's an even bigger HEART!

And for those who have never seen Penalosa The Elder in action, you may be pleased to learn that everytime I saw him fight (and I've seen quite a few either "live" or on tape), he made me forget the handicap. He was that good!

As for Dodie's power, it is said that power comes from the feet, through the legs, the torso, the arm and unto the fist. Trainers through the ages emphasize that to their wards. Imagine what kind of power would Dodie have had, had he been able to plant his feet better for the wallop!

Re: Trivia on Bohol, yes!