By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT PhilBoxing.com Fri, 02 Aug 2024
Filipino boxers have gained worldwide fame for their clever, aggressive style and gameness in the ring.
From flyweight to welterweight, all the way to middleweight, they have battled their way into contention and won world titles.
For this, we Filipinos owe a debt of gratitude to one man who gloriously paved the way for our nation's success in boxing and carried our collective hopes on his shoulders in the process.
The Washington Herald • Tue, Jun 19, 1923 (Washington, District of Columbia).
He was born Francisco Guilledo on August 1, 1901, and died on July 14, 1925, with the world boxing crown still on his head.
While he fought under the assumed name Pancho Villa, what he accomplished in his meteoric rise and fall atop the squared circle was genuine and, to this day, unparalleled—the first Filipino world boxing champion, the only Asian who was once the American Flyweight boxing champion, and the youngest to do so at 23 years old.
Guilledo paved the way with his blazing fists, innovative footwork, and indomitable spirit against all odds, becoming a symbol of identity, hope, and resilience.
Today, August 1, we honor the late Francisco Guilledo in his final resting place at the Manila North Cemetery, a site recently restored through the auspices of friends, family and well-wishers of the late champion.
For the record, here are Francisco Guilledo’s highest honors and achievements:
• Flyweight and Bantamweight champion of the Philippines and the Orient (circa 1919-1922)
• Ranked #1 Flyweight of the 20th Century (along with Miguel Canto) by the Associated Press in 1999
• The Ring Boxing Hall of Fame (1961)
• International Boxing Hall of Fame (1994)
• West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame (October 15, 2017)
• His official record stands at 79 wins (25 KO), 5 losses, 4 draws, 2 no-contest (20 No Decisions) (CyberBoxingZone.com)
• He has never been knocked out
Celebrated painter Rodolfo “Jun “Aquino”, sculptor Frederic Caedo, John Blase along with volunteers from the Philippine Boxing Historical Society worked tirelessly and donated their time and financial assistance.
The great heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, a kindred soul, visited his friend’s grave at the Manila North Cemetery (circa December 1939).
The grandsons of Francisco Guilledo with Jun Aquino.
“It is our duty to not only remember Pancho Villa but also to return his final resting place to its previous glory. The recent pandemic took a toll on the previous caretakers, hence the recent decline and disarray of the gravesite,” revealed Jun Aquino.
(L-R) Erel Cabatbat, Chino Trinidad, Charina Rivera and one aspiring writer (DZME Studios, March 22, 2024)
The Philippine Boxing Historical Society expresses profound appreciation for the late Manolo “Chino” Trinidad's inspiration, vision and behind-the-scenes assistance in restoring Francisco Guilledo’s final resting place. Our lifelong friendship and collaboration with Chino Trinidad will serve as the impetus for next year’s ‘Centennial Celebration of the Life and Times of our hero Pancho Villa’.
Notes:
• Photos of Francisco Guilledo’s gravesite are courtesy of Rodolfo “Jun” Aquino
• All vintage photos and text featured in this article are shared in compliance with the United States Fair Use Doctrine
