Who was Clever Sison?
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 03 Dec 2025
Clever Sison.
He called himself the uncrowned world featherweight boxing champion and according to Benigno (Clever) Sison’s youngest son Tony, it was incontrovertible. In July 1933, Sison pounded out a 10-round decision over Mexican legend Baby Arizmendi at the Memorial Auditorium in Sacramento and that was his claim to fame.
Arizmendi was once the world featherweight titlist and battled co-Hall of Famer Henry Armstrong, the only man to hold world championships in three divisions simultaneously, in five fights. Another world featherweight champion whom Sison faced was Freddie Miller.
“I never saw my father fight, not even on film,” said Tony who was born four years after Sison fought his last bout against Mike Dempsey at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in November 1943. “But I watched him train fighters, shadow boxing, holding up mitts. He was the Freddie Roach of his time. I was told he was a stylist, very slick and hard to hit. He wasn’t a big puncher although his left hook was deadly but had the skills to outsmart his opponents which is why he had the nickname Clever.”
Sison, a southpaw, was known as the first Filipino fighter to invade the US at his own expense. He had 26 fights in the US, 13 in Hawaii, hooking up with a Honolulu-based Filipino boxing manager Pedro Estomago. A granddaughter said Sison collected purses of up to $2,000, big money in the ‘30s, and packed the arenas because of his colorful style. Sison brought his gloves all over the world, logging 10 fights in Japan, nine in Indonesia, eight in Singapore, three in Malaysia and one in Mexico. During his stay in Japan, he learned how to speak fluent Nihongo. Record books show Sison compiled a slate of 34-22-9, with eight KOs. His KO victims included Japan’s Toru Noda, Portugal’s Al Camacho, American Joe Stone and Dutchman F Van Loo. In May 1932, Sison won the Oriental featherweight title, stopping Lou Pacion in the second round at the Olympic Stadium, Manila. One of his toughest opponents was Spanish champion Gregorio Vidal whom he outpointed at the Golden Gate Arena, San Francisco, in May 1933.
Sison was born in Baliwag, Bulacan, on Dec. 2, 1905 and passed away on Feb. 1, 1993 at 87. He was married to Guadalupe Pamilar. Sison’s first dream was to become a merchant marine then found a calling in boxing, turning pro at 16. After retiring as a fighter, Sison stayed connected with the sport and trained several fighters including Curly Aguirre, Jet Parker and Domi Manalang. He also became a boxing referee and dabbled in the textile business, buying in bulk from importers and reselling to customers.
Sison had five children, all boys. The oldest Joe, now 86, lives in Sta. Maria, Bulacan and played basketball for Crispa and PAL in MICAA with Roehl Nadurata and Romy Diaz. Joe was nicknamed Bulldog for his kamikaze style and first cousin Dante Silverio said if he only pursued a basketball career, could’ve been another Charlie Badion. Two sons Ramon and Angel have passed. Two other sons Romeo, 79 and Tony, 78, live in Las Vegas.
Tony, who played basketball with the UE junior varsity, said his father never wanted his sons to be boxers. Tony migrated to the US in the late 1960s and was a successful systems designer for brokerage firms on Wall Street. He and wife Beng are blessed with two children Christine and Edward and three grandchildren, two 14-year-old identical twins Jacob and Ryan and 22-year-old Jaden who is on the Princeton University hockey team. Daughter Christine, who overcame scoliosis to become a Boston University lacrosse player, is a physical therapist and runs the Rock Steady Boxing facility in Boston, specializing in slowing down the effects of Parkinson’s through boxing exercises.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
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