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Small Montana
Flyweight

Small Montana

Bacolod City, Philippines

81Wins 22Losses 10Draws 11KOs

Career: 1930 – 1941

Biography

Small Montana (born Benjamin Jamito Gan, February 24, 1913 – August 4, 1976) was a Filipino flyweight boxer from Bacolod, Negros Occidental. Standing 5’4” and fighting as an orthodox stylist, he was known for his speed and cleverness rather than knockout power, scoring 83 wins with only 13 stoppages across 118 professional bouts. Inspired by Pancho Villa, Montana turned pro in 1932 and captured the American Flyweight Title in 1935 with victories over Midget Wolgast. He later fought abroad, losing to Benny Lynch in London in 1937, and faced notable opponents including Manuel Ortiz, Speedy Dado, and Little Dado. Though he never secured a universally recognized world championship, Montana was regarded as one of the Philippines’ prominent flyweights of the 1930s. He passed away in La Carlota, Negros Occidental, in 1976 at the age of 63.

World Titles

  • NYSAC NYSAC World Flyweight Won Sep 16, 1935 · Lost Dec 15, 1936 (Vacated) · UD Midget Wolgast

Regional & Other Belts

  • USA USA Hawaii State Bantamweight Won Jul 3, 1936 · Lost Jul 3, 1937

Fight Record

112 bouts
DateOpponentResultMethodRoundVenue
Jul 18, 1941 Mario Chico Morales D UD 8 Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville
Jun 7, 1941 Leonardo Lopez D UD 10 Arena Nacional, Mexico City
May 31, 1941 Pedro Ramirez D UD 10 Arena Nacional, Mexico City
May 10, 1941 Lorenzo Safora D UD 10 Palacio de Deportes, Havana
May 2, 1941 Luis Castillo D UD 12 Arena Cristal, Havana
Apr 26, 1941 Bobby Leyvas D KO 2/10 Palacio de Deportes, Havana
Apr 5, 1941 Luis Castillo D UD 12 Palacio de Deportes, Havana
Feb 13, 1941 Tommy Forte D MD 8 Olympia A.C., Philadelphia
Jan 30, 1941 Lou Transparenti D UD 10 Baltimore Arena, Baltimore
Dec 10, 1940 Freddie Pope D UD 10 Haft's Acre, Columbus
Dec 2, 1940 Lou Salica D TKO 3/15 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto
Oct 21, 1940 Cyril Joseph D UD 6 Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh
Jan 10, 1940 Little Pancho D UD 10 Auditorium, Oakland
Oct 4, 1939 Jackie Jurich D UD 10 Auditorium, Oakland
Aug 25, 1939 Al Robinson D KO 10/10 Olympic Arena, Reno
Jul 21, 1939 Al Robinson D UD 10 Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville
Mar 3, 1939 Jackie Jurich D TKO 7/10 Legion Stadium, Hollywood
Jan 2, 1939 Manuel Ortiz D UD 10 Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton
Dec 19, 1938 Little Caesar NC NC 1/8 National Hall, San Francisco
Oct 17, 1938 Pete Powell D UD 10 City Arena, Richmond
Oct 3, 1938 Aurelien Lamothe D TKO 8/8 Griffith Stadium, Washington
Aug 17, 1938 Tommy Forte D UD 6 Madison Square Garden, New York
Aug 3, 1938 Katsumi Morioka D UD 15 Queensboro Arena, Long Island City, Queens
Jun 13, 1938 Panchito Villa D SD 10 Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto
May 30, 1938 Baby Yack D UD 10 Mutual Street Arena, Toronto
May 9, 1938 Frankie Jarr D UD 10 Mutual Street Arena, Toronto
Dec 14, 1937 Jackie Jurich D UD 10 San Jose Civic Auditorium, San Jose
Oct 26, 1937 Jackie Jurich D UD 10 San Jose Civic Auditorium, San Jose
Apr 27, 1937 Pat Palmer D UD 10 Empire Pool, Wembley
Mar 4, 1937 Pat Palmer D UD 10 Royal Albert Hall, Kensington
Feb 8, 1937 Tiny Bostock D UD 12 King's Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester
Jan 19, 1937 Benny Lynch D UD 15 Empire Pool, Wembley
Nov 20, 1936 Star Frisco D UD 10 Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach
Nov 10, 1936 Mauricio Seria D UD 10 Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton
Oct 28, 1936 Peppy Sanchez D UD 10 Auditorium, Oakland
Aug 15, 1936 Abe Konaaihele D UD 8 Armory, Minneapolis
Jul 18, 1936 Augie Curtis D UD 8 Volcano Arena, Hilo
Jul 3, 1936 Augie Curtis D UD 10 Civic Auditorium, Honolulu
Apr 17, 1936 Jimmy Uchida D UD 10 Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach
Mar 20, 1936 Lou Salica D UD 10 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco
Feb 12, 1936 Bobby Leyvas D UD 10 Auditorium, Oakland
Dec 16, 1935 Tuffy Pierpont D UD 10 Auditorium, Oakland
Nov 5, 1935 Midget Wolgast D UD 10 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
Oct 21, 1935 Tuffy Pierpont D UD 10 Auditorium, Oakland
Oct 1, 1935 Bobby Olivas D UD 10 Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles
Sep 16, 1935 Midget Wolgast D UD 10 Auditorium, Oakland
Aug 31, 1935 Speedy Dado D UD 10 Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton
Aug 12, 1935 Bobby Olivas D TKO 3/10 Auditorium, Oakland
Aug 5, 1935 Antal Kocsis D UD 8 Civic Auditorium, Honolulu
Jul 3, 1935 Midget Wolgast D UD 10 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
May 24, 1935 Joe Tei Ken D UD 10 Civic Auditorium, Honolulu
May 7, 1935 Antal Kocsis D UD 10 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
Mar 8, 1935 Joe Tei Ken D UD 10 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
Nov 30, 1934 Augie Curtis D UD 10 Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville
Nov 12, 1934 Tony Marino D UD 10 Civic Auditorium, Honolulu
Oct 25, 1934 Tony Marino D UD 10 L Street Arena, Sacramento
May 4, 1934 Joe Tei Ken D UD 10 Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach
Jan 26, 1934 Chato Laredo D UD 10 Watsonville Civic Auditorium, Watsonville
Dec 15, 1933 Chato Laredo D UD 10 Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach
Jun 21, 1933 Young Sport D UD 10 Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach
Jun 9, 1933 Billy McLeod D UD 6 Dreamland Auditorium, San Francisco
May 31, 1933 Felix Ignacio D TKO 5/8 Golden Gate Arena, San Francisco
May 24, 1933 Young Sport D TKO 4/6 Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach
May 10, 1933 Peppy Sanchez D UD 10 Pismo Beach Arena, Pismo Beach
May 3, 1933 Tuffy Pierpont D KO 2/6 Golden Gate Arena, San Francisco
Apr 5, 1933 Tuffy Pierpont D UD 4 Auditorium, Oakland
Mar 2, 1933 Billy McLeod D UD 10 Memorial Civic Auditorium, Stockton
Jan 27, 1933 Billy McLeod D UD 10 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
Dec 30, 1932 Joe Tei Ken D UD 10 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
Dec 15, 1932 Al Robinson D KO 1/10 Memorial Auditorium, Sacramento
Nov 10, 1932 Frisco Dencio D TKO 3/8 Houston Arena, Honolulu
Aug 20, 1932 Sadato 'KO' Kuratsu D UD 8 Wailuku, Hawaii
Aug 5, 1932 Young Sport D UD 8 Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu
Jun 18, 1932 Henry Kudo D UD 8 Wailuku Stadium, Wailuku
May 21, 1932 Frankie Baron D UD 6 Houston Arena, Honolulu
May 14, 1932 Joe Doclen D TKO 2/6 Wailuku Stadium, Wailuku
May 6, 1932 Sadato 'KO' Kuratsu D UD 8 Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu
Mar 1, 1932 Young Silva D UD 10 Somewhere in
Feb 1, 1932 Kid Kelly D UD 10 Somewhere in, Manila
Jan 9, 1932 Dommy Reyes D UD 10 Olympic Stadium, Manila
Dec 1, 1931 Rush Jolly D UD 10 Somewhere in
Nov 14, 1931 Dommy Reyes D UD 8 Olympic Stadium, Manila
Nov 1, 1931 Kid Bakong D UD 10 Somewhere in
Oct 1, 1931 Young Domingo D UD 10 Somewhere in
Sep 10, 1931 Young Vicente D UD 8 Somewhere in
Sep 1, 1931 Young Radiola D UD 8 Somewhere in
Aug 15, 1931 Fighting Obsiman D UD 6 Somewhere in
Jun 6, 1931 Little Reynes D UD 4 Olympic Stadium, Manila
May 1, 1931 Kid Agustin D UD 6 Somewhere in
Apr 10, 1931 Young Silva D UD 6 Somewhere in
Apr 1, 1931 Kid Iloilo D UD 6 Somewhere in
Mar 1, 1931 Kid Leonard D UD 6 Somewhere in
Feb 10, 1931 Rush Ribo D UD 6 Somewhere in
Feb 1, 1931 Kid Felipe D UD 6 Somewhere in
Jan 1, 1931 Young Johnson D UD 6 Somewhere in
Dec 1, 1930 Kid Aviola D UD 6 Somewhere in
Nov 10, 1930 Fighting Quenubatan D UD 6 Somewhere in
Nov 1, 1930 Kid Felipe D UD 6 Somewhere in
Oct 1, 1930 Young Alvarez D UD 4 Somewhere in
Sep 1, 1930 Fighting Sorsegon D KO 3 Somewhere in
Aug 1, 1930 Little Domaguillas D UD 4 Somewhere in
Jul 10, 1930 Doc Olaso D UD 6 Somewhere in
Jul 1, 1930 Little Domaguillas D UD 4 Somewhere in
Jun 10, 1930 Jack Silver D UD 4 Somewhere in
Jun 1, 1930 Little Ligaspe D UD 4 Somewhere in
May 3, 1930 David Dencio D UD 4 Somewhere in, Manila
Apr 19, 1930 Camel Joe D UD 4 Somewhere in, Manila
Mar 15, 1930 Al Aguirre D UD 4 Somewhere in, Manila
Feb 1, 1930 Little Ligaspe D UD 4 Somewhere in, Manila
Jan 20, 1930 Al Garcia D UD 4 Somewhere in
Jan 10, 1930 Doc Olaso D UD 4 Somewhere in
Jan 1, 1930 Little Ligaspe D UD 4 Somewhere in

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