Pancho Villa to be enshrined to Elorde Hall of Fame

MANILA, Philippines - Pancho Villa, a Filipino born at the turn of the century and a boxing hero before World War I, will finally earn a rightful place among boxing immortals when he is enshrined in the Elorde Boxing Hall of Fame March 25 at the Manila Hotel Tent City.

Villa, considered the world’s greatest flyweight champion who reigned from 1922 to 1925, will receive the honor previously accorded only to fellow boxing great Manny Pacquiao during the Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards.

Pacquiao was inducted into the Elorde Hall of Fame in 2007.

The Filipino pre-war champion, born Francisco V. Guilledo in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental in 1901, knocked out defending champion Johnny Buff in the 11th round on Sept. 22, 1922 to become the US flyweight titlist. He defended his title on June 18, 1923 against Jimmy Wilde of Wales, whom he knocked out in the seventh round in New York. He had a career record of 73-5-4 with 25 KOs. He had 23 no-decision bouts.

Like Elorde and Pacquiao, Villa came from a humble family, born to a hacienda cowhand before he attained fame and fortune valued at over $250,000 in prize money in only nine months leading to the world championships.

Villa became the second Filipino, after Flash Elorde, to be inducted into the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994.

A year before, Elorde received the honor for his feat as the world’s longest reigning junior lightweight champion - from 1960 to 1967.

The Flash Elorde Annual Awards, sponsored by Pagcor, PCSO, the Elorde Sports Foundation and Manla Hotel, will also give recognition to world, international and Philippine champions of 2008, among whom the Boxer of the Year awardees will be chosen.

Also to receive citations are the best promoter, manager, trainer, referee and judge, most promising boxer, best fight of the year and boxing judge as well as personalities and institutions that have contributed to the growth of Philippine boxing.