RP leads UK in title fight wins

The outcome of the Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton fight will either stretch the Philippines’ lead over the United Kingdom in terms of world boxing championship wins on a head-to-head basis or deadlock the count.

So far, the record shows six wins for the Philippines and five for the British in 11 world title fights dating back to 1923 when Pancho Villa of Iloilo knocked out Jimmy (The Mighty Atom) Wilde of Wales before 23,000 fans paying a live gate of $94,590 at the New York Polo Grounds.

In history, there have been 74 British world champions and 42 Filipinos. Largely considered the first British world titlist was Cornwall’s Bob Fitzsimmons, the first fighter ever to win championships in three divisions – middleweight (1891), heavyweight (1897) and lightheavyweight (1903).

It was in England where boxing resurfaced in the 17th century after the sport – born in Ethiopia over 8,000 years ago – ”died” in the Dark Ages. The first record of a bareknuckle fight was in 1716 when James Figg claimed to be the English champion.

Boxing rules were written in London in 1743, rewritten in 1838, also in London, and superseded by the Marquess of Queensberry who introduced the use of gloves, the 10-count, three-minute rounds and standard dimensions for a ring in 1867.

Villa was the first Asian world champion who died at the age of 23 of Ludwig’s Angina, an infection of the throat cavity triggered by gum infection and ulcerated teeth a month after losing a 10-round decision to Irishman Jimmy McLarnin in a non-title bout in Oakland in 1925.

Villa knocked out Wilde at 1:46 of the seventh round. Wilde, a Hall of Famer, retired after the loss. Curiously, the man often likened to Villa – Pacquiao – halted and retired a future Hall of Famer, Oscar de la Hoya, 85 years later. Pacquiao is now considering to co-produce a movie based on Villa’s life.

Villa faced another Englishman, Frankie Ash of Devon, in 1924 and retained his crown on a 15-round decision. Ash vowed to avenge Welsh’s loss but failed to dethrone the Filipino before 13,000 fans at the Henderson’s Bowl in Brooklyn. The flamboyant Villa entered the ring wearing a grey fedora hat which he tossed to the crowd before the fight.

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In 1937, Benny Lynch of Clydesdale, Scotland, outpointed Small Montana (born Benjamin Gan of La Carlota, Negros Occidental) to capture the vacant world flyweight crown in London. It was the first British victory over a Filipino in a world title match.

In 1950, Hawaii-born Filipino Salvador (Dado) Marino defeated Terry Allen of London to win the world flyweight title in Honolulu. They faced off in a rematch a year later, also in Honolulu, with Marino retaining the throne via another 15-round verdict.

In 1983, Frank Cedeno of Talisay, Cebu, knocked out Charlie Magri of Stepney Green in the sixth round to wrest the WBC flyweight diadem in London. Then came three straight wins by British fighters over Filipinos in world title bouts.

In 1988, Rolando Bohol was stopped by Croydon’s Duke McKenzie in the 11th round of an IBF flyweight title bout at Wembley Stadium in London. A year later, Dodie Boy Peñalosa was outpointed by Scotland’s Dave McAuley in an IBF flyweight title bout in London. And in 1995, Ric Magramo lost to Paul Weir in a WBO lightflyweight championship fight in Irvine, Scotland.

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In 1997, Eric Jamili brought the Philippines back on track with an eighth round stoppage of Mickey Cantwell to claim the WBO minimumweight crown in London. In 2002, Celso Danggod lost a 12-round decision to Damaen Kelly in a WBF flyweight title fight in London.

In 11 world title bouts between Britons and Filipinos, none was staged in the Philippines. The Pacquiao-Hatton match for the IBO lightwelterweight crown will be the first encounter between a Filipino and a Britisher in a neutral country since Villa defeated Ash in Brooklyn in 1924.

Magri, who lost the WBC flyweight title to Cedeno in 1983, wrote in his book “Champagne Charlie,” that Pacquiao and Hatton are his favorite modern-day fighters.

“Pacquiao for me has got to be the best fighter in the world,” said Magri. “It’s not just that he’s won a lot of big fights; it’s the way he’s done it. He goes out there to take his opponents apart and I like to see that in a fighter, because that’s what I always wanted to do in the ring, get in there and do the business.”

But Magri also paid tribute to Hatton.

“I like fighters who go out there and challenge the world, who want to go out there and prove themselves,” he said. “I think today Hatton is the kind of fighter who thinks like that, who wants a challenge. He’s got the right attitude. The only thing that worries me about Ricky is the way he lets himself go between fights. I wish him all the best, I really do, but I know just how hard this business is and bloating up like that and losing weight is bad for your body and if you’re drying out every time to make weight, the chances are that one day, it’ll catch up to you.”