World title bout back home

The first world championship fight ever held in the Philippines was in 1925 when Pancho Villa scored a unanimous 15-round decision over countryman Clever Sencio to retain his flyweight crown at Wallace Field (now Rizal Park), Manila. Since then, several world title bouts have been staged across the nation. World middleweight ruler Ceferino Garcia stopped challenger Glen Lee in the 13th round at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in 1939 and Flash Elorde wrested the world junior lightweight crown from Harold Gomes on a knockout in the seventh frame at the Araneta Coliseum in 1960. During his seven-year reign, Elorde marked nine defenses on home soil.

Manila wasn’t the Philippines’ only host city for world championship boxing. Cebu was the site for six world title fights involving Donnie Nietes from 2007 to 2017, Nonito Donaire’s WBO superbantamweight title defense against Zsolt Bedak in 2016 and Z Gorres’ showdown with WBO superflyweight beltholder Fernando Montiel in 2007. Bacolod hosted Nietes’ encounter with Raul Garcia for the WBO lightflyweight strap in 2016. Manny Pacquiao defended his IBF superbantamweight diadem with a first round knockout over Fahprakorb Rakkiatgym in Davao City in 2002. Cagayan de Oro hosted the WBF featherweight title fight where Rico Siodora was halted by Kongthawat Orathaigym in 1998 and Rolando Toyogon claimed the WBF minimumweight title in 1998. Iloilo was where William Magahin won the WBF welterweight belt on a decision over Jeff Malcolm in 1995. General Santos City hosted the IBF minimumweight title fight between Rene Mark Cuarto and Pedro Taduran in 2021 while Digos, Davao del Sur, staged the rematch the next year. Biñan was the venue for the WBA minimumweight title fight between Vic Saludar and Roberto Paradero in 2021. Filipinos who figured in world title fights in Manila included Elorde, Pacquiao, Erbito Salavarria, Pedro Adigue, Roberto Cruz, Dommy Ursua, Johnny Jamito, Tacy Macalos, Magahin, Rene Barrientos, Rolando Navarrete, Dodie Boy Peñalosa, Gerry Peñalosa, Orlando Villaflor, Joselito Rivera, Rolando Bohol, Ronnie Magramo, Randy Petalcorin, Luisito Espinosa, Brian Viloria, Samuel Salva and Taduran.

The last world title fight held in the country was in Digos in 2022 with Cuarto keeping the IBF crown in a return bout with Taduran. Nicaraguan Felix Alvarado was the last foreigner to battle a Filipino in a world title fight here and that was in 2018 when he stopped Petalcorin for the vacant IBF lightflyweight strap at the Midas Hotel, Pasay.

Pacquiao’s initiative to promote WBC minimumweight champion Melvin Jerusalem’s mandatory first defense against unbeaten Mexican challenger Luis Castillo in Mandaluyong this Sunday brings back world championship boxing to the country. It’s the 18th world title fight between a Filipino and a Mexican here. The record shows in 17 previous matches, Filipinos won 14, lost one and drew two. Pacquiao himself fought Mexican Gabriel Mira and registered a knockout to retain his WBC flyweight title at the Big Dome in 1999. Viloria, Espinosa, Gerry Peñalosa, Nietes and Gorres were other Filipinos who squared off with Mexicans on home grounds.

The Jerusalem-Castillo bout will headline Pacquiao’s “Blow By Blow,” a tribute to Mandaluyong Mayor Ben Abalos who celebrates his 90th birthday the day before. Abalos supported Pacquiao’s early boxing career where he had seven of his first 21 fights in Mandaluyong. It was in Mandaluyong in 1997 when Pacquiao halted Chokchai Chockvivat to win the Oriental flyweight crown in his first championship fight.