Philippines, 12 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Why so sudden Hermie, lovable warrior?


PhilBoxing.com




THERE was never a dull moment with him, but the famous broadcaster and boxing expert Hermie Rivera was once stunned into silence when Muhammad Ali turned to him on stage and quipped, ?Hey, you?re not as dumb as you looked.?

Rivera was working as master of ceremonies in the press conference for the 1975 Thrilla in Manila at the old Manila Hilton Hotel.

News of Rivera?s death on Saturday snapped like thunderclap and caught many dumbfounded with grief.

?Our dear friend Hermie has left us,? veteran sportswriter Eddie Alinea said in a text message. He said he got the sad news from a friend in California.

**

The famous journalist Nigel Collins, former editor-in-chief of Ring Magazine, said he was deeply saddened and described Rivera as ?a lovable rascal, one of the most colorful people I?ve known.?

?I like him very much and I feel terrible, I would like to write something about him,? Collins told broadcaster Ronnie Nathanielsz.

Nathanielsz, a former broadcast teammate of Rivera, said the world of boxing lost a genuine lover of the sport who ?knew boxing inside out.?

**

Rivera died in the hospital on Saturday where he was rushed after suffering a stroke the day before. He was 77.

It was hard to believe. Hermie had promised to visit later this month. It had been his practice to host friends to a goat party in his old place at the Roxas District in Quezon City each time he would visit from Newark, California.

The last three occasions though, the gathering was held at Peter Lee?s Hong Kong Teahouse in Ermita, Manila, with Hermie at the head table waiting with surprises in a paper bag, even if his homecoming did not co-incide with the holiday season.

**

Hermie had wanted to use this aborted homecoming for a chance to link up with Luisito Espinosa, a sunburnt, hungry bamboo pole gatherer he had taken out of the cruel slums of Tondo, and weaned into a world boxing champion.

Espinosa, who went on to reign as world bantamweight and featherweight boxing king, now works as a boxing trainer in Hong Kong. Hermie was up on his toes pursuing the payment of Luisito?s purse for a controversial championship bout in Koronadal, South Cotabato in 1997. The much-delayed purse payment has been ordered by the Court of Appeals.

Rivera had also made the burly Fil-American junior welterweight Morris East a world boxing champion.

**

Rivera was in the process of finalizing the last chapters of an incisive book on Manny Pacquiao, that had seen him staying real close to Pacquiao in all of the world boxing icon?s fights this decade.

Hermie, a favorite friend and comforter of the late Flash Erlorde, had fought big battles for the sake of Philippine boxing.

He was still dreaming of the day when aspirant fighters all over the country, mainly from the grassroots, could benefit from technical and skills transfer through boxing training centers, a national academy possibly, when he passed away.

**

Hermie was at the forefront of annual gift-and-cash doleout affairs for disabled and destitute former boxers several of whom, like Anong Junior, Pusa, Tony Chavez, Puring Bulag, etc., he had taken in as messenger or assistant.

Boxing was so close to his heart that, when he chaperoned the young, clean-cut Socrates Batoto to a world title challenge in South America, correspondents ganged up on the rugged, frayed-browed Rivera at the airport for an interview. They mistook the peppery manager for the Filipino title challenger himself.
Hermie did not find that very funny.

He gave a memorable interview just the same.

Photo (L-R): Nigel Collins, Hermie Rivera and Michael Marley.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Taylor vs. Serrano Trilogy: Can Amanda Get The Nod?
    By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • BERLANGA-SHEERAZ, STEVENSON-CEPEDA, MORELL-KHATAEV MAKE WEIGHT IN NEW YORK
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • Johnny Spell Takes on Chancellor Batttenberg on Saturday, July 19th at the Hollywood Casino at the Meadows in Washington, PA
    , Sat, 12 Jul 2025
  • JV Tuazon, Ador Torres, Lemuel De Barbo, Jomar Fajardo Make Weight for Brico Santig's Highland Show in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Under-12 Girls Team Shines Bright, Clinches Multiple Medals at 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championships in Penang
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Kenneth “Llover Boy” Takes on “El Nica” Concepcion Aug 17 on Gerry Peñalosa’s Show @ the Winford Resort and Casino Manila (Analysis)
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated junior middleweight prospect Anthony Velazquez won’t be Boxing’s best kept secret in 2026
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated Gabriela Tellez Returns July 18 at “Night of Champions” Live on DAZN
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Dushanbe hosts stacked fight card with Bakhodur Usmonov and Christopher Mouafo headlining IBA.Pro 8
    , Fri, 11 Jul 2025
  • Shakur vs Zepeda & Morrell vs Khataev Fight Analysis
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Peñalosa To Test "Lover Boy" Llover Versus Accomplished Panamanian Veteran Concepcion
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • USA Boxing Youth High Performance Team Begins Brandenburg Cup Prep Camp
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Dream Fight: “Bam” Rodriguez vs “Puma” Martinez on the Horizon
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Perez vs Vivas Headlines All Star Boxing's Prueba de Fuego Card on July 25
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin Promotions & Ringside Ticket Inc. Present ‘Lopez Vs. Vargas’ Welterweight Battle
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • Vegas Fight Experience Where Authentic Sparring Meets Cinematic Vegas Energy
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • 4 Division World Champion & Hall of Famer Erik Morales Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION TONY HARRISON
    , Thu, 10 Jul 2025
  • FIGHT EMPIRE! TUAZON, ADOR, DE BARBO, JOMAR, AND MORE ARE READY FOR ACTION IN BRICO SANTIG'S EXCITING SHOW JULY 12 IN THAILAND
    By Carlos Costa, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Shakur Stevenson and David Morrell Face "Crossroad Fights" This Saturday in Queens
    By Ralph Rimpell, , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Christy Martin’s “Mayhem in Music City 2” to Feature Undefeated Vic Hernandez Facing Jayvon Garnett for NABA & Jr. NABF Featherweight Championships
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • James Perkins & Anthony Andreozzi Headlines “Oceanside Prize Fights”
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • GORST PURSUES GOLDEN GLORY IN JEDDAH, DEFENDING WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE IN SAUDI ARABIA, 21–26 JULY
    , Wed, 09 Jul 2025
  • Hovhannisyan and Barrientes Set for High-Stakes Showdowns July 18 on DAZN
    , Tue, 08 Jul 2025
  • UNBEATEN PROSPECT KENNETH LLOVER TO FACE FORMER TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION LUIS CONCEPCION IN MANILA
    , Mon, 07 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.