Philippines, 17 Oct 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


Rudy Salud passes away


PhilBoxing.com


Philippine Sports lost one of its pillars with the death of lawyer Rudy Salud, who joined his creator due to lingering illness at the Medical City in Pasig. A lawyer by profession, Salud is known as a former commissioner of the professional Philippine Basketball Association and the founding secretary general of the World Boxing Council. He was 72 years old.
Salud was known as the man responsible in crafting the constitution and by-laws of both the PBA, the country?s and Asia?s first pro-basketball league, and the WBC, which incidentally, both turned 35 last year.
He served as PBA commissioner from 1988 to 1992, an era when the league rose from the brink of collapsing due to scandal brought about by listless officiating and reported game-fixing to regain its stature during the time of founding commissioner, the late Leo Prieto.
The first time he did upon assumption of the position, Salud fired half of the officiating force in a display of resolve and determination that restored to the PBA the respect it enjoyed with its fans earned under the helm of Prieto, who he often admitted, was his mentor.
Like his guru, Salud, whose eldest sibling Angelico (Chito) is the present PBA top honcho, cultivated friendship with sports media, whom he considered as major partner and reason for its existence from the time of its birth in 1975 up to the present time.
The well-loved sportsman and legal luminary is survived by wife Josephine, children Angelico,?Renato, Priscilla, Arnold, Christine, Margaret, Annabel and their families.

Viewing will be on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Sta. Maria Della Strada Parish along Katipunan Road, cor. Pansol St. in Quezon City. Interment will be on Thursday.
?
?What not many know, however, is that had ?Mamang Rudy? as he was called by media men, accepted his nomination for him to succeed Jose Sulaiman after latter?s term had expired in the late 70s, the former could have been the only second Filipino to have assumed the highest post of the now most credible alphabet title-giving boxing body.

On December 5th, 1975, in Tunis , the capital of Tunisia , Don Jose was unanimously elected as the WBC President during the thirteenth Convention of the organization whose site Hotel was the Africa Hotel of Tunisia. Thirty two delegates from 21 countries then affiliated to the WBC, including then Games and Amusements Board chair and Cavite Congressman Justiniano Montano Jr. and Salud, his executive secretary, took part in the Convention.

Montano himself served as WBC?s third president succeeding Luis Spota, also of Mexico , who replaced the body?s first top man, Onslow Fane, who was named to the post upon its formation in 1963 but stepped down two years later.

Salud, meanwhile was appointed by Spota as WBC secretary general, a position he also held during Montano?s watch. As WBC secretary general under Spota, Salud a lawyer, served as concurrent chair of the influential world ratings committee and the world championship committee and was responsible for formulating the rules governing the twin committees.
Sulaiman, actually, was the secretary general of Jorge Velasquez, another Mexican, who served as WBC head from 1971 to 1975.

Following the WBC charter?s four-year rule in regards to its president?s term and under the traditional rotation system, Salud was to replace Sulaiman as the organization top honcho in 1979.

Salud declined the nomination though for reason of delicadeza because of Montano?s position as GAB chairman.?
?Jun was still the GAB chairman at the time of my supposed assumption of the WBC presidency and I could not accept that,? Salud told this writer in an interview several years back.?Imagine, I as his executive secretary, would assume a position higher than his. That?s to me is unacceptable.? ?

?So it was agreed that I would assume the WBC presidency when Jun was no longer the GAB chairman,? he explained.
That did not happen. Then President Marcos? declaration of martial Law eventually forced Montano to resign from his position and so did Salud, thus, depriving Salud the right to be elevated and the country of what could have been a high point in Philippine sports.

And who knows, Salud could have been honored as the longest serving WBC president instead of Sulaiman.

Sulaiman?s term, as a result was extended for another term that was to further be extended to 35 years as no one dared challenge him for the post since. While credit should be given to Sulaiman for his successful stewardship of the WBC, it should be noted that it was under the partnership of Montano and Salud when boxing took a semblance of unity, not only within the organization but, likewise, within its rival factions.?
In his book ? ?the Story of the World Boxing Council? ? boxing historian Bobby Naidoo described Montano and Salud as the duo that ?worked solidly to consolidate world unity in boxing.??
With the two Filipinos at the helm, the door of opportunity for Asian ? Filipinos, Japanese, Koreans and Thais ? to get cracks at the world titles had been open.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS PRESENTS “COUNTDOWN TO THRILLA IN MANILA” AND “THRILLA IN MANILA 50”
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • Rafael Espinoza-Arnold Khegai Featherweight World Title Showdown Set for Nov. 15 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • Irish welterweight contender Paddy Donovan Positioned for another World title shot
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • DAY ONE: TEAM ASIA LAUNCHES TITLE DEFENCE WITH DOMINANT WHITEWASH AS AJ ‘STARBOY’ MANAS SHINES
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • CONNOR MITCHELL SIGNS FOR MATCHROOM BOXING AND DREAMS OF SURPASSING HIS LEGENDARY FATHER
    , Fri, 17 Oct 2025
  • CONWAY-LIDDARD YORK HALL WEIGH-IN RESULTS
    , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • PR Run - Break Your Record on Oct. 19
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • PIONEERING FILIPINO BOXERS TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT ON FIL-AM HISTORY MONTH (PART I)
    By Dong Secuya, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • BOXING HALL OF FAME RELEASES FALL 2025 LETTER OF APPEAL SEEKING FUNDRAISING SUPPORT
    , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • Mendoza bags bronze
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 20: MUHAMMAD ALI VS. JOE FRAZIER III ON OCTOBER 1, 1975 AT THE ARANETA COLISEUM
    By Maloney L. Samaco, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: History of Boxing in Reynosa, Tamaulipas
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Thu, 16 Oct 2025
  • YORK HALL PRESS CONFERENCE: EVERYTHING THAT WAS SAID AS CONWAY AND LIDDARD GET SET FOR HUGE DOMESTIC CLASH
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • Unbeaten Super Featherweight Contender Andres Cortes Set for Return on October 18 Against Derlyn Hernandez-Geraldo in Long Beach
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • JOEL “LETHAL” LEWIS RETURNS NOV 28TH THUNDERDOME 52 – METRO CITY PERTH
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • Shane Mosley Sr. Blasts Oscar De La Hoya of Blocking Son’s Title Shot, Calls for Trilogy Fight on Drew & Pris Uncensored podcast
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • MASOUD vs McGRAIL HEADLINES BLOCKBUSTER MONTE-CARLO SHOWDOWN VI CARD ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6 – LIVE ON DAZN
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • WFM Mendoza seizes lead in 2025 FIDE World Youth Chess Championship
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • YOENLI HERNANDEZ KNOCKS OUT RAMON DELACRUZ SENA IN FIRST ROUND OF MAIN EVENT OF FISTS OF FURY 8
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • BEN WHITTAKER TITLE SHOT CONFIRMED WITH PRESS CONFERENCE THIS FRIDAY
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • GOLDEN BOY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST AMATEUR TALENT IN CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • SHANNON RYAN: I'M READY TO BRING 'KAOS' TO YORK HALL THIS WEEK
    , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • Nikita Tszyu Health Update
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 15 Oct 2025
  • THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 13 OCTOBER 2025: Ennis Wipes Out Lima; Vianello Defeats Barriere; Makhmudov Outpoits Allen
    By Eric Armit, , Tue, 14 Oct 2025
  • Omar Juarez Set for Homecoming Clash Against Omar Rosario on October 18 i
    , Tue, 14 Oct 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.