Philippines, 07 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


How Are We Faring in Our Traditional Weight Classes? (Last of Four Parts)


PhilBoxing.com





Introduction

The unbundling of the original eight boxing weight classes has, through particularly last more than forty years, resulted in the what we have as 17 Divisions, 18 if we will consider the newly coined bridgerweight class, currently.

Be that as it may, there have been boxing purists that still reckon professional boxing based on the original eight to ten weight classes, i.e. flyweight as the lowest division and the heavyweights as the biggest which it is still now, despite the call by some to institute the so called super heavyweight class. Their main argument is that the original weight classes have been instituted based on sound scientific grounds taking into consideration physical and physiological factors, though those were determined more than a century ago.

Purists agreed to give some more grounds beginning the late 80s though as the combined factors of physiologically growing population and the fact that the weight difference in certain higher divisions is indeed too huge to overcome or compensate (especially for those moving up, or down, in weight), resulted to the creation of the minimumweight otherwise known as straw weight as the smallest division and the institution of the light/junior and super classes between and among the other divisions.

From the dawn of boxing back at the turn of the last century and through the years and decades that followed, Filipino boxers have established themselves and even created a niche in certain weight classes, particularly in the flyweight and lightweight divisions, to include the junior and super classes.

In the first three parts, we reviewed, assessed and discussed how Filipino fighters fared in the past three to five years in the flyweights, the bantamweights and the featherweights which for the purpose of this study, included the minimumweight and the light flyweight classes and the junior classes in the 118 lbs and 126 lbs divisions.

In this fourth and last part, we will endeavor to review and assess our performance and prospects if any in traditionally the first glamour weight class moving up, the lightweights which for years has been regarded as a Mt Everest for our hardluck fighters from boxing earliest days, with the extraordinary exception of one Manny Pacquiao.

Part 4: The Lightweights-Pinoy Boxers "Mt Everest"

Given our physique and physical stature, it seems that in boxing, the higher the weight class, the harder is the degree of difficulty.

Apart from the physiological factor, this is borne out of how the heavier divisions have been originally conceived and designed to suit primarily fighters from the West where boxing originated.

Through the years, certain rules were also modified and liberalised to cater to the naturally bigger Anglo Saxon and Caucasian fighters like the changing of official weigh-in schedule from the day of the fight to the day before the fight and allowing for higher overweight allowance before the fight.

For like the featherweights which is seen as jump-off point for the lightweights, the lightweights is generally regarded as pre-departure for the welterweights and beyond.

The greatest boxer Sugar Ray Robinson started briefly as a lightweight before establishing his legendary career in the welterweight and middleweight. Henry Armstrong also had a pit stop at 135 lbs before fully settling as one of the greatest welterweight champions of all time.

In the more recent times, we have had Roberto Duran, Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya, Shane Mosley and our very own Manny Pacquiao.

Now Pacquiao being a freak of nature, his case is also a freak in boxing as far as the lightweights is concerned.

Before Pacquiao, no Filipino fighter had come near to winning a major world title at lightweight from boxing's earliest days.

Ceferino Garcia started out as lightweight but did not come close to vying for the world title, not even getting high world ranking.

The late great Gabriel Flash Elorde twice tried to unseat Puerto Rican great Carlos Ortiz in the 60s but twice he was separated from his senses. The main reason was Elorde was a blown up featherweight at best while Ortiz was essentially a sawn off welterweight at fight time. Earlier Bert Somodio tried to take the world crown from Ortiz predecessor Joe Bones Brown in Manila but was outgunned losing by wide decision. In both cases, the prevailing rule was still day of the fight weigh in and yet, the Filipinos never had a ghost of a chance of winning.

(Yet, oddly certain Filipino fighters managed to win world championships at the super lightweight class as Roberto Cruz and later Pedro Adigue and FilAm Morris East).

Hence the lightweight began to be considered as a Mt Everest for Filipino fighters from then on with our record of futility piling up through the years.

Until Manny Pacquiao came along and broke the jinx in 2008 by winning the country's first and only world lightweight championship by brutalising and knocking out American David Diaz for his fifth division world title in Las Vegas.

But even then, before the fight, Philippine Congress had to hold a hearing to dissuade Pacquiao from fighting Diaz, our legislators wanting Manny to be spared from what happened to Elorde versus Ortiz one winter night in New York in 1966.

The day before the fight weighin did not give Diaz, a sawnoff welter like Ortiz, any advantage as Pacquiao, despite having his first fight at 135, tore through the barrel chested former Olympian from almost from the get go, relenting only when Diaz was down for the full count on the canvas, a bloody mess in the eighth round

But again, Manny Pacquiao is a generational wonder who would later wreck havoc at 140, 147 and even 154 lbs weight divisions. The bigger they were, the harder they fall from Pacquiao's unique combination of speed and power.

Therefore it would be foolish to make Pacquiao as pattern for Filipino fighters campaigning at lightweight going forward.

In the recent years, certain Filipino fighters had the chance to fight for world lightweight titles as Cesar Amonsot (WBO) and Michael Farenas (WBC) but both were outclassed by their taller and bigger opponents.

For a while, there also emerged Filipino fighters at lightweight fancied to give at least stiff competition at global stage as Mercito Gesta and Romero Duno but they have since been proven as no more than hype jobs.

As mentioned before, Genesis Servania who made some impact at the featherweight has moved up to the lightweights but his sojourn has been marked by crushing defeats including a first round knockout to a bigger American foe.

It will take another generational fighter for us to gain credibility and respectability in this talent laden division.

Part I: What Are We Missing At Flyweight?

Part II: The Bantamweight Bubble is Still On

Part 3: The Featherweights Continuing Enigma

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.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Weigh-In Results: Oscar Valdez vs. Ricky Medina
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • WEIGHTS FROM LOS MOCHIS: Eduardo Nuñez - 130 Lbs., Christopher Diaz - 129.6 Lbs.
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • “THE HOMECOMING” OFFICIAL WEIGHTS
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • ‘SUGAR’ NUNEZ VS. ‘PITUFO’ DIAZ – PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • SUNDERLAND: WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • USA Boxing Nabs Perfect Outing on Day One of 2025 World Boxing Championships
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • Kelvin Watts Charged Up for 2025 World Boxing Championships
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • Legendary German Trainer Michael Timm Dies
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • 2X Olympic Champion, 4X Undisputed & 17X World Champion Claressa Shields Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo,
    , Sat, 06 Sep 2025
  • Boxers swing into action
    By Joaquin Henson, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • UBO Youth World Title Showdown: Aliya Soomro Fights Monika Singh in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Battle of the Hawk Season 1 Finals on September 9; offers P600,000 to the winning team while P300,000 to the losing finalist team
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Press Conference Notes: Oscar Valdez Motivated for Saturday's Homecoming Against Ricky Medina
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • SUNDERLAND PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES AS McCORMACK EYES BIG WIN
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • THE ROAD TO REYES CUP AND MOSCONI CUP | 2025 PLAYERS QUALIFICATION
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Statement from World Boxing following reports in the French media about French female boxers at the World Boxing Championships
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • GenSan Is Our Version of Los Mochis - The City of Boxing Champions
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Iglesias vs. Shishkin: Unsigned Hype
    By Chris Carlson, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • EDDIE HEARN PROVIDES AJ UPDATE AS PAT McCORMACK NAMES THE BIG FIGHT HE WANTS NEXT IN NEW MATCHROOM BOXING PODCAST
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • Team USA’s Path to Gold Set at 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool
    , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • DACS signs up with Amesco Drug
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 05 Sep 2025
  • India’s Monika Singh Battles Aliya Soomro of Pakistan for UBO Youth World 108 in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 04 Sep 2025
  • TEENAGE KICKS: WONDERKIDS LEO ATANG, ADAM MACA AND TIAH-MAI AYTON ARE READY TO LIGHT UP SUNDERLAND THIS SATURDAY
    , Thu, 04 Sep 2025
  • 150 to join Rotary Heritage Aquathlon
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 04 Sep 2025
  • Miguel Berchelt to Return in Reynosa, Tamaulipas; WBC Praises City’s Commitment
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 04 Sep 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.