CEBU, Philippines — This punching dynamo from Toledo City, Cebu earned himself a reputation as one of the best Filipino world boxing champions.
Bernabe Villacampo is best remembered for his power-hitting skills with a 40 percent knockout rate during his illustrious career.
He started sharpening his fistic ability as an amateur fighter at the age of 18. To make ends meet, he sold ice drops and newspapers on the streets.
Driven by his ardent desire to help his family escape from poverty, Villacampo turned professional at the age of 19.
He knocked out Arturo Acido in his pro debut on August 25, 1962 at the Cebu Coliseum. He went on to win his first six bouts before suffering back-to-back defeats.
Villacampo introduced himself on the international stage when he pulled off a stunning sixth round stoppage of the heavily favored Japanese Katsuyoshi Takayama on November 6, 1967 at the Prefectural Gymnasium in Okayama City, Japan.
Six months later, he battled to a 12th round draw with Tsuyoshi Nakamura in their Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) flyweight championship in Tokyo, Japan.
He earned his first world title shot on November 10, 1968, but lost by a 15 round decision to Chartchai Chionoi in their World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title match in Bangkok, Thailand.
But all hope is not lost for Villacampo. On October 19, 1969, he silenced the highly partisan Japanese crowd when he beat hometown favorite Hirotuki Ebihara by a 15 round unanimous decision to win the World Boxing Association (WBA) flyweight belt at the Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan.
In his first defense though, he bowed to Thai Berkrerk Chartvanchai by a close split decision on April 5, 1970 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Since then, Villacampo figured in a string meaningful fights, including a fourth round KO of 1980 world light flyweight king Shigeo Nakajima on March 7, 1978 in Tokyo, Japan. Unfortunately he lost five of his last six bouts. After he was floored by Danilo Inocian on November 24, 1979, he retired from boxing with a record of 39 wins (16 by KO), 21 losses and five draws. - EBV