Philippines, 22 Apr 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


2-TIME WORLD CHALLENGER DOMMY URSUA TO MANNY PACQUIAO: "I NEED YOUR HELP"


PhilBoxing.com



Dommy Ursua.

Dommy "Toy Bulldog" Ursua, one of the most enduring of Filipino fighters who was even cited by the country's hero Ninoy Aquino for his gallantry, is seeking the help of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

"Our office recently received a communication from former boxer Dommy Ursua, now residing at a very old age in Cordova, Cebu...In abject poverty, he is requesting for our help in bringing to Manny Pacquiao's attention his prayer for a small share of the Filipino icon's financial blessings just to help Dommy get through in his final years of life," said an email received by Philboxing.com.

Ursua has been very sickly due to old age, and is hoping that Manny Pacquiao the superstar hears of his plight.

Ninoy Aquino once told the late journalist Teodoro Benigno that courage was what he liked about Ursua. Aquino noted that he loved fighters who slugged their way through like Ursua, Speed Cabanela, and even Pancho Villa, fighters who always took the offensive, not the counterpunchers.

Then, after describing Ursua and the other fighters, Ninoy Aquino made these famous statement: "That's why I'm coming home. I want to prove to the Filipinos that I am not afraid. Because I know they respect courage above anything else!"

PRIME URSUA


Photo shows Dommy Ursua in his prime.

During his prime, Ursua fought three of the best fighters of his generation, and vied for the world crown twice losing by decision to Pascual Perez in their 15-round encounter and via eleventh-round TKO to Raul Macias at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.

"WHEN he was knocked out by champion Raul ?Raton? Macias for the National Boxing Association bantamweight crown in San Francisco, he received $85,000 as challenger?s purse. That was on June 15, 1957," wrote the late Manuel Oyson Jr of SunStar.

Ursua is also best known for his upset win over Memo Diez, when the latter was still ranked as The Ring's number one ranked flyweight.

The loss to Perez was also well-chronicled during his time. According to Oyson:

"When he made his second attempt at a world title against champion Pascual Perez of Argentina at the Rizal Memorial football field in Manila 18 months later, President Carlos P. Garcia attended the fight and even urged him on from ringside: ?Fight, pare! Fight!?

The President was the principal sponsor at his wedding to Rosita Ramos at a Makati church before the fight.

He lost after 15 rounds. His purse from that bout on Dec. 15, 1958 was only P35,000. The fight was a sellout. There was a lot of interest in the fight. Only on Jan. 11 of that year, the little Filipino challenger had also fought a no-decision match against up-and-coming Pone Kingpetch in Thailand.

Kingpetch would later wrest the world flyweight crown from Perez in the latter?s own country. When I met Dommy Ursua again this week, I just had to bring him to the Sun.Star Cebu office for an interview and photo-op. My first interview with him some 20 years ago landed in the pages of the weekly Champ Magazine.

Jerry Nisperos, in an article titled "Boxing: King of the Hill," also noted:

While boxing is cruel to the defeated one, it will be even crueler to the victor if he succumbs to the subtle pitfalls of success outside of the ring. The fighters of yesteryear are on the shorter end of the bargain as compared to today's champions. Past champs do not have the high powered management teams composed of lawyers and financial advisors that comprise present day groups. Commercial endorsements weren't the fad yet. It is a rarity if you ever see an entrepreneurial champ. This is where the non-physical inherent dangers of the game become visible. Flamboyant and even laid back champions are almost always foolhardy. No foresight. They live it by the day. Which usually brings a tragic ending for most. In my country we have many pugilists who have suffered the same fate. Recently reported was Dommy Ursua, whose monicker "toy bulldog" best describes his short, but muscular 4ft.11in. frame. Ursua fought twice for the world flyweight title, but came up short. Nevertheless, he was immensely popular for his brawling style which earned him paydays that would have made him comfortable during those years. But as a fighters' story usually goes, Dommy Ursua ended up broke.

Life in the Fast Lane

Of all the athletes in this world, it is our beloved pugilists who let success go to their heads. The most prone to worldly adventures and contrary to their ring skills, it's ironic that they are defenseless for this kind of adversary. That is why we cannot totally blame them for their misfortunes. Past fighters are easy pickings for their unscrupulous handlers and social friends. A pat on their back or a well-phrased compliment usually do the trick. Many of our fighters are not stingy with their punches or with their money when it comes to spending it. They believe that there is more of it where it came from. Ursua, who used to ride in the presidential car, was notorious for lighting his cigars with crisp peso bills whenever he wanted to showoff to the girls in the nightclubs. After squandering his ring earnings, Ursua took odd jobs over the years to feed his family. He was featured in a TV special four years ago wherein he was seen living a pauper's life in a rundown shanty. Ursua is now in his 70's and bumming for coffee money everyday.

"He told me that the night before last Oct. 18, he and his family of nine in Barangay Ibabao, Cordova, Cebu had not eaten supper. The morning that I met him, he was going down the steps of the DBP Bldg. on Osme?a Blvd., where the Games and Amusements regional office is located. Lando Mendoza, the regional GAB officer-in-charge told me that Ursua drops by his office now and then to ask for pahalipay (coffee money)." Oyson wrote.

"It would seem that the DBP guards did not recognize him. I introduced Dommy to them. I told Dommy to wait for me downstairs as I was seeing Mendoza upstairs."


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Higher Seeds New York, Denver Fall in Playoffs Second Games to Detroit Pistons, LA Clippers
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Young Gildo: The Baguio Bearcat
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Filipino International Master Paulo Bersamina places solo runner-up in the 22nd Bangkok Chess Club Open in Thailand
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Female Amateur Boxing Star Sar’ai Brown-El Signs with Split-T Management
    , Tue, 22 Apr 2025
  • Apolinario to fight Hu in Japan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 21 Apr 2025
  • Warriors Shoot Down Rockets, 95-85 as Celtics, Cavaliers, Thunder Take Care of Business
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 21 Apr 2025
  • 2025 USA Boxing International Open Finalized on Saturday
    , Mon, 21 Apr 2025
  • Verano to face Thai in Clash of Nations on April 24
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 21 Apr 2025
  • Masangkay to fight Ocampo in JAS on April 23
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Denver Holds Off LA Clippers in OT, 112-110
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Arca clinches 3rd and final IM norm; Guns for GM norm in last round
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • IN HER GOLDEN GIRL ERA: GABRIELA “SWEET POISON” FUNDORA SUCCESSFULLY DEFENDS UNDISPUTED TITLE AGAINST MARILYN BADILLO
    , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Fundora Retains Undisputed Flyweight Titles; Perez Shocks Conwell in Oceanside
    , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Dalton Smith Drops Mathieu German Three Times, Retains WBC Silver Title
    , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Filipino GM Antonio beats Serbia's IM for share of lead in Caberra Chess Tournament
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Villanueva to fight Antaran on April 27 in Gensan
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • MASOUD AND MCGRAIL CLASH IN ALL-BRITISH SHOWDOWN
    , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Semifinals Conclude at 2025 USA Boxing International Open
    , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • FM Arca is inching closer to his 3rd and final IM norm
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 20 Apr 2025
  • Weigh-In Results: Fundora and Conwell Ready for Golden Boy Fight Night in Oceanside
    , Sat, 19 Apr 2025
  • Undefeated, rising Canadian prospect Eric Basran wins in Opening round to advance to quarterfinals of inaugural Riyadh Season/WBC Boxing Grand Prix in Saudi Arabia
    , Sat, 19 Apr 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM LONG BEACH
    , Sat, 19 Apr 2025
  • Weights From Washington, PA
    , Sat, 19 Apr 2025
  • Jerald Into Advances in WBC Boxing Grand Prix with Dominant Win Over Ahmad Jones
    , Sat, 19 Apr 2025
  • Press Conference Notes: Keyshawn Davis Set for Homecoming Title Defense against Edwin De Los Santos at Norfolk's Scope Arena
    , Sat, 19 Apr 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.