Marcial-Colmenares Middleweight Bout Steals Show at Thrilla in Manila 50th Year (Part 1)
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 04 Nov 2025
The original "Thrilla in Manila" in 1975 featured just four bouts, including the stellar main event between then-undisputed world heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and former titleholder "Smokin' Joe" Frazier. Ali outlasted Frazier and successfully defended his world crown via a 14th-round corner stoppage.
The undercard included another heavyweight contest, an appetizer pitting rising contender Larry Holmes (then Ali's primary sparring partner) against Rodney Bobbick, scheduled for 10 rounds. Holmes made short work of Bobbick, winning by first-round knockout.
The main supporting bout was a 12-round fight for the GAB Philippine bantamweight title between Rolando Navarette and Fernando Cabanela. Cabanela defeated a visibly out-of-condition Navarette by unanimous decision to capture the title. The fourth bout was a four-rounder contested by two Filipino novice fighters. Then-President Ferdinand E. Marcos and First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos attended the event, held at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
In the recent 50th-anniversary commemoration of the "Thrilla in Manila," the card was significantly expanded, featuring 13 bouts.
The main event saw Filipino champion Melvin Jerusalem successfully defend his WBC world minimumweight title, defeating his South African challenger Siyakholwa Kuse by unanimous decision (UD) over 12 rounds.
Two other world-rated Filipino fighters were in action at super bantamweight: Marlon Tapales, a former two-division world champion and unified titlist, disposed of Venezuela's Fernando Toro by sixth-round TKO, while the undefeated and highly promising Carl Jammes Martin defeated Thailand's Dipaen Aran via 10-round unanimous decision.
Boxing great Manny Pacquiao, who spearheaded the organization of the 50th-anniversary event, ensured the card was not bereft of clashes among the big men. The show featured a heavyweight bout and three fights set at middleweight, including a match that saw Muhammad Ali’s grandson, Nico Ali Walsh, in action before the Filipino fans.
Pacquiao, in his role as Vice President of the International Boxing Association (IBA), was able to secure two professional bouts sanctioned by the IBA for the event: a heavyweight contest between South Africa's Chris Thompson and Russia's Georgiy Yunodivod, and a middleweight fight between Russia’s Vadim Tukov and American-based Ghanaian Sena Agbeko. Thompson won the fight between the two debutantes by UD over eight rounds. Meanwhile, Tukov won his second professional bout, likewise by UD, over the debuting Agbeko.
But what undoubtedly emerged as the Fight of the Night was the 10-round war between Filipino former Olympic bronze medalist Eumir Marcial and Venezuelan knockout artist Eddy Colmenares. Fought for the vacant WBC International middleweight title, the local favorite Marcial won by majority decision despite suffering two knockdowns. The fight proved true to its billing and fittingly served as the main supporting bout underneath the Jerusalem vs. Kuse main event.
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos graced the event, which was also held at what is now known as the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
There were other highly competitive bouts involving local fighters, including one that saw Pacquiao’s son, Eman Bacosa, stretch his unbeaten run to eight fights. But truly, it was the Marcial-Colmenares barnburner that took the cake.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
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