WBO President Francisco Valcarcel.
From modest beginnings, the World Boxing Organization (WBO) has become a major force in the sport of boxing.
When the WBO was established in 1988, it did not envision an organization concentrated only in the established boxing territories of that era. Big fights were limited in rich countries like the United States, United Kingdom and Germany and in traditional boxing powers like Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina and Panama.
Boxing outside these countries were either content in staging small scale boxing shows; big events happened few and far in between. Hence, one of the visions of the WBO was to reach all boxing personalities in every corner of the planet. It also had a goal of giving equal opportunity to all boxers, managers, and promoters from all countries to showcase their brand of boxing for the whole world to see.
Sometime during the remaining years of the 20th century, WBO President Francisco ?Paco? Valcarcel established the WBO Asia Pacific wing and appointed Leon Panoncillo of Hawaii, U.S.A to lead the new regional hub. Mr. Valcarcel envisioned that the biggest region on the planet in terms of land mass contain ?hidden treasures? waiting to be discovered.
Panoncillo faced a ton of challenges when he started his office in Bangkok, Thailand. There were already established regional groups like the PABA of the WBA and the OPBF of the WBC which had existing relationships with Asia-Pacific promoters. There were countries like Japan for example, whose JBC, only recognized the WBA and WBC and would not allow licensed promoters, managers and boxers to participate in any boxing matches outside of the two organizations. Professional boxing was also banned during that time, in China, the biggest country in the region. There were also problems with sponsorship, boxing had to compete with the more established sports like football and basketball for airtime on television.
With the odds stacked against him, Panoncillo did not lose hope. He continued to work hard to achieve the vision of the WBO and its President.
The first recorded WBO Asia-Pacific title fight happened in 1995 with Australian Jack Russel fighting Filipino Ramon Algora in Queensland, Australia for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific light flyweight title. There were no more WBO regional bouts that year. In 1997, there were four, only two in 1998 and one in 1999 and 2000. The outlook seemed bleak.
But when the new century unfolded, the WBO Asia Pacific was able to sanction a total of 11 fights in 2001,doubling in 2002 and 42 total bouts in the next two years.
The organization hit a milestone in 2004 with the staging of the first WBO world title fight in Thailand. The Asia Pacific champion Ratanachai Sor Vorapin dethroned Cruz Carbajal for the WBO bantamweight world crown.
To be continued ...
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