The Great Filipino Boxer Called Pancho Villa
Frank Ramos & Classic-Boxing
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Sep 16, 2025
Francisco Guilledo, better known as Pancho Villa, blazed a trail as the first Asian world boxing champion. At just 5’1” and 114 lbs, he defied the odds and captured the flyweight crown in 1923, cementing his place among the all-time Filipino greats. Body:
Francisco Villaruel Guilledo (August 1, 1901 – July 14, 1925), famously known as Pancho Villa, was a Filipino professional boxer who rose from humble beginnings to international stardom. Standing only 5 feet 1 inch (154 cm) tall and weighing no more than 114 pounds (51 kg), Villa defied both his size and the racial prejudice of his era.
In 1923, he stunned the boxing world by becoming the first Asian to win a world championship, capturing the World Flyweight Title. His fast hands, relentless style, and fierce determination earned him recognition as one of the greatest flyweights in history.
Villa is remembered alongside fellow Filipino legends Manny Pacquiao and Gabriel Elorde, yet his story carries a tragic ending: he never once suffered a knockout defeat, but his life was cut short at just twenty-three due to complications following a tooth extraction.
Did you know? Pancho Villa’s world title victory in 1923 made him not just a Filipino hero but also a trailblazer for Asian boxers on the global stage.
Also… He was named after the famous Mexican revolutionary, even though he had no direct connection — a promoter thought the name would be more marketable.