ABAP mourns boxing idol’s death

MANILA, Philippines - The training of the national boxers was conducted under a pall of gloom yesterday after news of the death of Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Anthony Villanueva – one of the greatest Phl fighters of all time – reached their gym at Rizal Memorial.

“We all grew up with the legend of Anthony Villanueva’s loss in Tokyo. That was a very sad day in boxing in the same way it is a sad day for boxing today,” said Alliance of Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) executive director Ed Picson said.

He still remembered how the late sportscasting legend Joe Cantanda, blurted the words “we wuz robbed” to aptly describe Villanueva’s controversial loss to Stanislav Stepashkin for the gold in the 1964 Olympic Games.

Villanueva’s feat, to this day, remained as the best ever for any Filipino athlete, only matched by boxer Mansueto “Onyok” Velasco, Jr.’s silver finish – another controversial defeat – 32 years later in Atlanta.

“Siyempre, malaking kawalan sa boxing; yan ang talagang nagbigay ng karangalan so nagpupugay din kami at nakikiramay sa pamilya at sa mga naiwan (He was one of those who really brought honor to boxing so his death is such a big loss to the sport),” head coach Pat Gaspi said.

Gaspi was only two years old when Villanueva copped an Olympic silver. Getting into boxing years later, Gaspi said Villanueva became one of his inspirations.

“Sa tingin ko, isa siya sa pinakamagaling na amateur boxer natin, napatunayan yan, di na mapapasubalian, kumbaga nagkamedal ka sa Olympics, di ka bastang boksingero (For me, he’s one of the greatest Filipino amateur boxers ever; his Olympic medal is validation),” he said.

We lost a great athlete like we lost the gold in the Olympics. Our prayers to his family and we will make sure he gets a proper burial,” said Philippine Sports Commision chair Richie Garcia.

The nation mourns the passing of a true hero who gave the highest accolade by any Filipino in the Olympic fora. We will remember his exploits as an athlete and worth emulating especially the youth. His silver medal will forever shine and glitter like gold in our minds for generations to come. Mabuhay ang manlalarong Pilipino,” said former ABAP chief Manny Lopez.

The ABAP, meanwhile, is considering the possibility of naming its upcoming national championships after the late boxing great. The tourney will be hosted by boxing icon and Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao. 

“I’ll bring it up to Manny, na baka pwedeng gawin nating in memory of Anthony Villanueva (maybe we can hold the national championships in memory of Anthony Villanueva) because this is the biggest local amateur boxing tournament,” said Picson.

“Doing a tourney in his honor is one thing pero what good will it do him? In the first place he’s dead. Pero sana merong mangyayari na something concrete perhaps to his family. Ganon na lang magagawa natin dyan (It’s better if we can do something concrete for his family perhaps. That’s the best we can do),” he added.