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Philippines, 12 Oct 2025 |
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John Leo Dato and the Line of Legitimate Filipino Mexicutioners By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Thu, 03 Sep 2020  John Leo Dato (C). If there is one true blooded Pinoy fighter now who could truly and rightfully claim the tag as Mexicutioner today, it is none other than Fil-American prospect John Leo Dato who recently notched his sixth win in as many fights held in Mexico. Dato remained unbeaten, dropping Mexican journeyman Angel Guevara once and proceeding to force a stoppage in the third round of their scheduled 8 round featherweight bout held in Baja California, Mexico. Dato (15-0-1, 10 KOs), who was born of Filipino parents in the Northern Philippines province of La Union and now resides in the California Central Coast city of Santa Maria, battered Guevara during the first two rounds of the fight. In the fateful third round, a barrage of punches from Dato dropped Guevara in a corner. Guevara beat the count and bravely fought back, but continued to take several combinations to the head and body prompting the referee to step in and mercifully save the Mexican from further punishment and damage. Guevara, who resides in Guasave, Mexico has now lost seven of his last eight bouts, dropping his record to 16-15-4. Dato has thus far faced thirteen Mexican opponents, beating all but one, Pedro Antonio Rodriguez who held him to a technical draw in an earlier bout held in California. His other wins came against American foes. The term Mexicutioner was first labelled upon American fighter Roger Mayweather, Floyd Jr.'s late uncle trainer who in the 80s used to fight and mostly defeat named Mexican ring opponents, including Rene Arredondo, Rodolfo Gato Gonzales and Mario Martinez in title fights. Ironically his biggest tormentor was also a Mexican named Julio Cesar Chavez who stopped him twice in world title fights, first at super featherweight and later at super lightweight, also in the 80s. The first Filipino to earn the tag was Luisito Espinosa who in his prime fought a number of Mexican fighters, beating some of them including Raul Jibaro Perez, Manuel Medina, Alejandro Cobrita Gonzales, Cesar Soto and Ranchero Ramirez. Earlier and later he lost also to some, including to Israel Contreras, Juan Estrada, Cobrita Gonzales, Soto and Guty Espadas, Jr. But his career defining wins came against Jibaro Perez whom he kayoed in one round to gain a crack against Medina whom he later outpointed in Japan to wrest the WBC featherweight title and Cobrita Gonzales against whom he scored a revenge knockout victory in defense of that crown spoiling an ongoing fiesta in Merida, Mexico (read Recah Trinidad's Massacre in Mexico). Manny Pacquiao likewise earned the tag with his slew of elite Mexican ring opponents and victims that included now Hall of Famers Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales and Juan Manuel Marquez. We could add Antonio Margarito to that list. None of his fights were held in Mexico however. Donnie Ahas Nietes was also considered a Mexicutioner with his fights and wins in Mexico, including WBO world mini flyweight title defense wins over Erik Ramirez, Manuel Goyo Vargas and Mario Rodriguez. Jerwin Ancajas could have officially joined the short list of Filipino Mexicutioners but in his last IBF super flyweight title defense that was held in Mexico for the first time, he had to settle for Chile's Miguel Gonzales as substitute for his original Mexican opponent Javier Rodriguez. Ancajas easily disposed of the Chilean though. Jerwin has thus far successfully defended his world title against three Mexican challengers, Jose Antonio Rodriguez and Israel Gonzales, both of whom he stopped and Alejandro Santiago Barrios against whom he fought to a draw, all in the US. Pedro Taduran early this year successfully defended his IBF world minimumweight crown in Mexico thwarting the bid of Daniel Valladares via fourth round technical draw. Johnriel Casimero with his strings of overseas world title victories, often as underdog has the chance to join the elite list of Mexicutioners as he is targeting fights against Luis Nery and Emmanuel Navarette in the near future. Casimero has thus far faced six Mexicans, most prominent were Raul Garcia Hirales to whom he lost a controversial decision in Mexico and Pedro Guevarra whom he defeated by split decision in the defense of his then IBF world light flyweight title some years ago in the US. He has demolished his last three Mexican opponents prior to winning the WBO bantamweight crown, also by knockout over Zolani Tete in the UK. 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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