CHRISTMAS IS STILL MERRY FOR PHILIPPINE BOXING
By Maloney L. Samaco
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 25 Dec 2012
The double defeat of the greatest Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao is so painful for Philippine boxing this year. But the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ brings joys to the Christian world so we have to be merry this Christmas. Even the victims of typhoons ?Pablo? and ?Sendong? still staying at evacuation centers and tent cities have all the reasons to celebrate Christmas even the simplest way they can.
So we count on the positive things that happened to Philippine boxing in the year 2012 and we can still declare that it was a good year and there are still reasons to say Merry Christmas to Philippine boxing fans.
We still have four world champions: Nonito Donaire, Donnie Nietes, Brian Viloria and Johnriel Casimero. We have two silver champions: Sylvester Lopez and Denver Cuello.
Donaire is one of the top ten boxers pound-for-pound in practically all renowned magazines and websites. He holds the WBO, The Ring and WBC Diamond super bantamweight title. He won four times this year with victories over Wilfredo Vasquez, Jr. (split decision), Jeffrey Mathebula (unanimous decision), Toshiaki Nishioka (9th round TKO) and Jorge Arce (3rd round KO). He is a strong candidate for Fighter of the Year award.
Viloria snatched two impressive wins this year. He prevailed over Omar Ni?o Romero by 9th round TKO for the successful defense of his WBO flyweight title. Then he unified the flyweight division after 47 years by annexing the WBA (Super) flyweight title by a 9th round TKO of Hernan Marquez.
Nietes successfully defended his WBO light flyweight title by scoring a unanimous decision over Felipe Salguero. It was his seventh straight victory over a Mexican boxer. He has won three bouts in the hostile Mexican territory the past years.
Casimero won the IBF interim light flyweight title over Luis Alberto Zarate by 10th round TKO in a riot marred contest. The champion Ulises Solis was stripped of his title for failure to defend it on the imposed deadline. So Casimero became the IBF world light flyweight champion. He defended it with a split decision win over Pedro Guevara in home country in Mexico.
Cuello has gained three impressive victories this year: Kid Suryana (4th round TKO), Ganigan Lopez (2nd round TKO), and Ivan Meneses (unanimous decision). He won the WBC international minimumweight title over Meneses in the opponent?s territory in Mexico.
Lopez won the WBC Silver superflyweight title last year by 8th round TKO against Oscar Ibarra in Mexico. This year he defeated Yuki Fukumoto by 4th round TKO. He lost though in his world title fight to Yota Sato in Japan by unanimous decision.
Sonny Boy Jaro scored the biggest upset this year by a sixth round TKO over Pongsaklek Wonjongkam whom he floored five times enroute to the stoppage. The Thai was the WBC and The Ring flyweight champion and was one of the world?s top boxers pound-for-pound. Jaro lost the title though in his first defense to Toshiyuki Igarashi in Japan by split decision.
Merry Christmas to one and all from me, my wife Chona and sons Mallory, Marton and Marlon!
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 3 FEBRUARY 2026: Shakur Schools Teofimo to Become 4-Division Champ; Zayas Unifies WBA/WBO Superwelter; Kelly Beats Murtazaliev
By Eric Armit, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Grand Week for Boxing in NY
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Boxlab Promotions Euri Cedeno and Carlos De Leon Castro Shine in San Juan Victories
Wed, 04 Feb 2026National Boxing Hall of Fame 2026 is set to April 26 in Montebello, California
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Vito Mielnicki Jr. Returns Home to Defend WBC USA, IBF USBA and WBO Global Middleweight Championships Against Omar Ulises Huerta
Wed, 04 Feb 2026Noah Lucas Palcis sees action in Bangkok chess meet
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Reymond Yanong Edges Out Hayato Ono for Split Decision Win in Japan
By Carlos Costa, Tue, 03 Feb 2026“I’m gonna smoke whoever is in front of me, Anthony Wright- Hearn makes his pro debut March 13 at Thunderdome 53
Tue, 03 Feb 2026Pacman's Cue Club Hosts J&P 10 Ball Cup from Feb. 4 to 7
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 03 Feb 2026Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge is back
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 03 Feb 2026WILDER AND CHISORA FACE OFF IN ICONIC TIMES SQUARE TO ANNOUNCE APRIL 4 HEAVYWEIGHT SHOWDOWN AT THE O2 LONDON
Tue, 03 Feb 2026World Boxing appoints Tom Dielen as new Secretary General
Tue, 03 Feb 2026Sullivan Management signs 19-1 power-punching Albanian heavyweight Kristian Prenga
Tue, 03 Feb 2026Another Grandeza in MMA is coming
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 03 Feb 2026Gracie meets Zubiri in PH
By Lito delos Reyes, Mon, 02 Feb 2026