How to explain the decline of Filipino boxing, which for the first time in 15 years has no world champions

The Philippines has been one of the most prolific countries for professional boxing in the 21st century. The last two decades have been the golden age of boxing in that country, largely thanks to the man who turned the sport into a mass phenomenon in the archipelago of over 7,000 islands: Manny Pacquiao. With the pac-man officially retired (although in December he will perform against a South Korean youtuber) and some of his lieutenants in the final segment of their career, the challenge is for who has to take over. For now, in these days and after fifteen years there is not even a fellow world champion.

On July 7, 2007 and separated by 16,000 kilometers, two Filipinos wore crowns: Accounts in bloom snatched from the Indonesian that of the minimum category of the International Boxing Federation Muhammad Rachman, who beat on points in Jakarta; a few hours later, Nonito Donaire He got the flyweight division of the same body by knocking out Armenian Vic Darchinyan in the fifth round in Connecticut. Since, the nation of Southeast Asia had at least one monarch for the next 15 years and 2 days.

That series was stopped on Saturday, when Marco Magsayo relinquished the World Boxing Council featherweight title by losing a split decision to Rey Vargas in San Antonio in a very close, high-flying duel, in which the Mexican visited the canvas in episode nine, but ended up prevailing in the eyes of two of the three judges. The Magnificent, 27, had established himself in January by defeating American Gary Russell in Atlantic City. At that time, the Philippines could boast five planetary champions.

What happened in these six months? A chain of defeats by Filipino monarchs and challengers (some very clear, others much discussed, all painful) has left a country that has consecrated 45 world champions in a century (the first, in 1923, was the fly Francisco Villarruel Guilledo, said Pancho Villa) and that before the explosion of Pacquiao, it had the notable Gabriel as its emblem Rapid Elorde, considered one of the best super featherweights in history, who shone in the 1960s.

The first to fall was Jerwin Ancajas, the solid holder of the IBF super flyweight title, who had been at the top for five and a half years (in which he had made nine defenses) and who was surprised by who today is the only one Argentine world champion: Fernando Martinez. On February 26 the Puma he largely beat him on points at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas.

More than three months passed until the year’s most painful setback for Filipino boxing. For the shape and because the protagonist of him was another hero of that country, whose legend follows only that of Pacquiao: Nonito Donaire. The Japanese Naoya Inoue, arguably the best pound-for-pound boxer around today, landed a resounding knockout in less than five minutes of action in Saitama, won a unified three-bantamweight championship bout and seemed to mark the end of his career. his rival, winner of eight titles in four categories. But with the Filipino flashwho will turn 40 on November 16, you never know.

Twenty-four days later, Mark Rene Fourth risked his minimum IBF title as a visitor and lost it, with a much discussed split decision, against the Mexican Daniel Valladares in San Nicolás de los Garza. And speaking of rainy, wet: Saturday was the turn of Mark Magsayo, who succumbed to Rey Vargas with another controversial sentence.

The fifth Filipino champion, Giovanni Riel Casimero, gave up his belt without even stepping into a ring. He was about to expose the World Boxing Organization bantamweight title against Briton Paul Butler on December 11, but the day before him he couldn’t show up for the weight and ended up in hospital in Dubai. due to viral gastritis. The corps accepted the medical justification presented then by the monarch’s team and decided to reschedule the bout for April 22, this time in Liverpool.

However, 72 hours before the match, the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBoC) announced that Casimero could not fight after detecting that he was using a sauna to lose weight in those days, a practice that violated medical policy in the UK. For this reason, the WBO allowed Butler to face a replacement rival, fellow Filipino Jonas Sultan (who he beat on points), then stripped the Asian and awarded the English crown.

In this fateful semester, not only did Sultan aspire to a title and failed in the attempt, but also two other citizens: Marco Antonio Barigawho on June 24 in Kissimmee (Florida) lost to Puerto Rican Jonathan González for WBO light flyweights, and Donnie Nietesthat this Wednesday he could not with the Japanese Kazuto Ioka in Tokyo for the WBO super fly.

Without the same exposure as Pacquiao or Donaire, Nietes was the third pinnacle of the triumphal triangle of Filipino boxing this century. He was also champion in four divisions (from minimum to super moscow) and has endured 18 unbeaten years and 33 fights, including 19 for world championships (17 wins and 2 draws). Kazuto Ioka has pulverized his unbeatable aura and opened the doors for him to retire, despite the 40-year-old having said before the game that he wants to continue the business until he is 45 regardless of the result.

Today’s numbers paint a daunting picture. The withdrawal (announced or imminent) of the sacred cows is a severe blow, albeit a natural one. However, the future is not necessarily dark, as there are young fighters with projection. For now, last weekend’s defeat hasn’t closed the doors to Magsayo, quite the contrary. His offensive style of him, his very powerful punch and his 27 years of age portend new possibilities imminent for him. “I am young and I still have a lot to learn. I will work on my mistakes and come back stronger and better ”, predicted the fighter born in Tagbilaran after the crash against Rey Vargas.

Also, the rematch between Fernando Martinez and Jerwin Ancajas. And waiting for that race is another Filipino, the undefeated Jade Bornea, 27 and number one in the IBF super flyweight rankings. Other young finishers are also making their way to a World Cup opportunity: flyweight unbeaten Dave Apolinario (23 years old) and the super rooster microphone plane (25), already with good experience in the United States.

Without wanting to wait too long, the former idle champion Vittoria greets, first in the WBA rankings, will face American (Puerto Rican family) Oscar Collazo, second in that rankings, in a 105-pound title eliminator in Los Angeles on Saturday. The winner will become the official challenger of the monarch division, Thai Thammanoon Niyomtrong.