STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART XIX: JESUS SALUD, THE FILIPINO-HAWAIIAN WBA WORLD SUPER BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 22 Apr 2020
Jesus Salud, born in May 3, 1963 in Sinait, Ilocos Sur, and resides in Honolulu, Hawaii. Thus he was called "The Hawaiian Punch." He won the WBA super bantamweight title by disqualification on December 11, 1989, in a bout against Juan Jose Estrada.
He had his professional debut on June 28, 1983 when he knocked out another Filipino - Hawaiian Cesar Zulueta at the Blaisdell Center Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii.
He won his first 20 pro fights before bowing out to Frankie Duarte for the North American Boxing Federation (NABF) bantamweight title by 9th round TKO at The Forum, Inglewood, California in July 10, 1986. Duarte was leading on all judges' scorecards before the stoppage in Salud's first career loss.
Salud then successfully snatched two successive unanimous decision wins over Edel Geronimo and Allan Makitoki in Honolulu before losing to Mexican Mario Gomez when the referee stopped the fight due to his collarbone injury for a 5th round TKO on September 3, 1987 at The Forum.
After that, he engaged in four non-title fights losing only once to Venezuela's Carlos Romero by split decision, winning over American Kirk Harris by 8th round KO, South Korean Yong Woon Park by unanimous decision, and Mexican Carlos Castro by 3rd round TKO.
He vied for the NABF super bantamweight title and stopped Ramiro Adames of Houston, Texas by 2nd round KO on February 28, 1989 in Los Angeles.
Salud defended his NABF title against Mexican-American Gilberto Contreras by a 2nd round KO on May 25, 1989 in Honolulu.
He won three more non-title bouts all by unanimous decision over Mexican Freddie Santos, American Eduardo Lopez, and Mexican Hector Diaz.
On December 11, 1989, Salud became a world champion when he won by 9th round disqualification over WBA super bantamweight titlist Juan Jose Estrada of Mexico at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
He was stripped of his title after failing to travel to Colombia for a mandatory title defense.
On June 7, 1990, Salud won the minor International Boxing Council (IBC) super bantamweight title by Martin Ortigon of San Antonio, Texas by 11th round TKO.
He won the NABF super bantamweight title by beating Darryl Pinckney of Miami, Florida by unanimous decision on September 14, 1991.
Salud failed to annex the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight championship when he was defeated by Welcome Ncita of South Africa by unanimous decision on April 14, 1992.
He defended his NABF title twice by 8th round TKO of Rudy Zavala of California and by 1st round TKO of Miguel Molina of Mexico.
He failed in another attempt at the IBF super bantamweight title, this time being beaten by Kennedy McKinney of Mississippi by unanimous decision on October 16, 1993.
Salud again defended his NABF title by a unanimous decision over Max Gomez of Denver, Colorado. He also stopped Mexican Juan Valencia by 10th round TKO.
He lost in his attempts for another world title against Antonio Cermeno of Venezuela for the WBA super bantamweight title, then defeated by Vuyani Bungu of South Africa for the IBF super bantamweight title and lost to Kevin Kelly of New York for the minor World Boxing Federation featherweight title all by unanimous decision.
But his non-title bout wins were abbreviated, against Mexico's Jose Luis Meza by 3rd round, KO, Mexico's Jose Luis Montes by 8th round TKO, Bulgaria's Michael Gallatti by 4th round TKO, and Mexico's Manuel Arellano by 2nd round TKO.
Salud won the WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight championship over Indonesia's Kris Wuritimur by 5th round KO on February 24, 1998.
He went on to win five more fights, three by stoppages, before he faced Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera and was stopped in the 6th round losing in his bid for the WBO super bantamweight title on December 1, 2000. Three years thereafter, the Mexican champion was beaten by Manny Pacquiao.
He fought four more fights, losing three of them, marking the time to call it quits. He has collected 76 total fights with 63 wins, 38 KO victories, 13 losses, with 4 KO defeats. He has 37 of his bouts fought in Hawaii and another 24 in California.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
USA Boxing Sends Eight Boxers to Italy for International Duel
Thu, 23 Jul 2026P248k prize on the line in Moon Cake Festival Pro Amateur 10-ball tournament at Pacman's Cue Club
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 23 Jul 2026Super Lightweight Contender Frank “The Ghost” Martin Inks Promotional Pact with Top Rank
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Thu, 23 Jul 2026DUELING TUNE-UPS: Joshua and Fury Play High-Stakes Chicken Across Asia with November Mega-Fight Hanging in the Balance
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Wed, 22 Jul 2026Chavon Stillwell and Izaiah Dent Put Their Perfect Records on the Line in a Can't-Miss Main Event at BiYu Promotions' "Fights Under the Lights"
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Wed, 22 Jul 2026Unbeaten Bizhamov faces Mironchikov in IBA Pro 20 main event in Naberezhnye Chelny
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Wed, 22 Jul 2026Cuarto ready to fight Paradero
By Lito delos Reyes, Wed, 22 Jul 2026CHAVES DEFENDS WBO LATINO TITLE AGAINST GARCIA AT PRUDENTIAL CENTER IN NEWARK, NJ ON SEPT 4
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Wed, 22 Jul 2026Undefeated Middleweight Prospect Sebastian Juarez Returns August 8 Against Rance Ward
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Wed, 22 Jul 2026WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán and WBC Cares visits Pedro Fiorito Hospital in Avellaneda, Argentina
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 22 Jul 2026COLD SHOULDER IN SYDNEY: Spence and Tszyu Trade Snubs and Staredowns at Grand Arrivals Launch
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Tue, 21 Jul 2026Suarez, Lewkowicz Ask the WBO to Enforce Navarrete Rematch and Begin Negotiations Immediately
By Carlos Costa, Tue, 21 Jul 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 20 JULY 2026: Papot Outpoints Eubank; Pacheco Stops Aleem; Suarez Smokes Avila in One Round
By Eric Armit, Tue, 21 Jul 2026Fiery Exchange at Fanatics Fest: Garcia and Benn Nearly Brawl in New York Ahead of Sept. 12 Title Clash
By NewsHub @ PhilBoxing , Tue, 21 Jul 2026John Michael Zulueta Headlines in Highland Show July 25 in Thailand, LIVE on TrillerTV
By Carlos Costa, Tue, 21 Jul 2026