First Filipino and Asian world champion Pancho Villa is featured in Ring Magazine’s blog on the best boxers of all time entitled The Best of all time A to Z by Michael Rosenthal.

By: Geoff Latayan

Villa, who was born Francisco Guilledo, has been chosen by Rosenthal as the best boxer from the letter V because he best suits the criteria being set up by Rosenthal, which were accomplishments in the ring, with heavy emphasis on strength of opposition, as well as impact on the sport.

Rosenthal exclaims: “He (Villa) fought at a frenetic, overwhelming pace and –- like countryman Manny Pacquiao today –- seemed to be indefatigable.”

The Iloilo-born Villa, who had a record 80-5-3 (23 knockouts), has fought in the United States in 1922 and fought Frankie Genaro but lost all three of his bouts but his biggest day came when he stopped then world flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde in the seventh round at the New York Polo Grounds on June 18, 1923.

He made three successful defenses of the crown over the next few years. However, the popularity would be cut short as he fought (and lost) to Jimmy McLarnin on July 4, 1925 even though he had a tooth removed that day because of an infection. That infection would spread to his throat, which became Ludwig’s Angina and died 10 days after the fight.

Rosenthal adds: “Villa’s career and life were far too short but he made a huge impression. He remains an important historical figure in the Philippines and was considered the greatest Asian fighter of all time until another Filipino icon came along a few generations later.”

Boxing historian Bert Sugar, who ranked Villa as the 64th best pound for pound boxer of all time, quotes: “Pancho Villa was a killer. He just suffocated his opponents.”

Not only Villa was ranked among the boxing greats as Filipino boxing icon Ben Villaflor was one of the five runners-up bearing the V letter surname in Rosenthal’s list.

Another Filipino boxing great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde was also featured in the blog for the letter “E.”

On the other hand, multi-titled Manny Pacquiao came only a close runner-up to featherweight great Willie Pep for Ring blog’s featured boxer for the letter “P.”