There’s no secret that boxing has become the most successful sport of the Philippines when it comes to the Olympic Games.
Eight of the 14 total medals came from the sport, including three in Tokyo 2020.
This Paris 2024, five boxers led by previous medalists Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio and Eumir Marcial, alongside Aira Villegas and Hergie Bacyadan, aim to deliver the country’s first gold in the sport.
They are now some of the idols of Philippine boxing in the amateur scene (save for Eumir Marcial who is now pro).
But who are the idols for these Pinoy boxers?
In these One Sports exclusives, Tokyo 2020 silver medalist Petecio and fellow pugilist Bacdayan named their top five boxers of all-time.
Petecio started off her list with a very familiar name.
“Number 1, Nesthy Petecio. Kilala niyo ba yon?” the 32-year-old jokingly responded.
Bacyadan also mentioned her compatriot made her top five: “Nesthy Petecio syempre.”
Petecio earned a return trip to the Olympics last March, defeating Esra Yildiz Kahraman of Turkey in the women's 57kg division in the first World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Italy.
[ALSO READ: Paris-bound! Boxers Nesthy Petecio, Aira Villegas book 2024 Olympic tickets]
She was also named as the country’s flag bearer together with co-boxer Paalam for upcoming Olympic Games Paris 2024.
[ALSO READ: Carlo Paalam, Nesthy Petecio to serve as Philippine flag bearers in Paris 2024]
Both Paris-bound boxers also mentioned the one and only Manny Pacquiao present on their list, with Petecio also picking other Filipino boxing legend in Nonito “The Filipino Flash” Donaire Jr.
“Manny Pacquiao, of course, [Nonito] Donaire [Jr.],” Petecio continued.
Ask any boxing fan today who the greatest Filipino boxer is, and more often than not, they will say Pacquiao or simply, PacMan.
The biggest reason Pacquiao is highly-considered the best boxer to ever do it is because of his body of work. In his prime, Pacman was the complete package, possessing a perfect combination of speed, power, and aggressiveness.
From flyweight to super welterweight, the former Philippine senator is the only boxer in history to have claimed eight world titles in as many divisions, including 12 major world titles. He’s also the first boxer to win lineal world titles in five different weight classes.
PacMan even planned to compete for Paris 2024, but the 45-year-old was ruled out for the competition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) due to his age.
[ALSO READ: No Pacman in Paris: Manny Pacquiao is overaged to compete in Olympics]
Donaire, on the other hand, has been one of the best fighters of the lighter divisions for nearly twenty years and is a four-division world champion.
“The Filipino Flash” burst upon the international scene when he knocked out then-112-pound champ Vic Darchinyan with an inhuman left hook way back in 2007, giving him the first of the nine major world titles he would ultimately win.
He had his best year in 2012, when Wilfredo Vazquez Jr., Jeffrey Mathebula, Toshiaki Nishioka and Jorge Arce en route to becoming hailed as the Fighter of the Year.
In May 2021, Donaire became the oldest bantamweight world champion at 38 year-old, stopping Nordine Oubaali in the fourth round.
Bacyadan, on the other hand, also has a couple of big-time names in her list, mentioning the likes of Mexican prizefighter Saul “Canelo '' Alvarez and “The Greatest '' himself, Muhammad Ali.
When talking about boxing greats, Ali is one of the first names destined to come up. A true legend of the sport, there was a time when Ali was probably the biggest athlete in the world; a true sporting icon with a lasting cultural impact well beyond the ring.
Ali, formerly as Cassius Clay, is a three-time world champion and amassed a professional boxing record of 56 wins, five losses with 37 knockouts.
His famous bouts include the “Fight of the Century” with rival Joe Frazier in their first encounter, the "The Rumble In The Jungle" against George Foreman, and the widely-recognized “Thrilla in Manilla” grudge match against Fraizer on that fateful night of October 1st, 1975.
Meanwhile, Alvarez, one of the most decorated boxers in the world, has amassed a Hall of Fame resume since turning professional in 2005.
Canelo is a four-weight world champion and the only boxer to become undisputed super middleweight champion, retaining his title with a convincing unanimous decision over fellow Mexican Jaime Munguia last month.
That bout saw Alvarez hand Munguia his first defeat in 44 professional bouts, dropping the 27-year-old challenger in the fourth round and inexorably taking control to improve to 61-2-2 in his storied career.
Going back to Bacdayan, a world vovinam champion, the 29-year-old finishes off her list with none other than another compatriot of her, Marcial.
Marcial copped bronze in the middleweight division of the Tokyo Games, and is among the triumvirate of boxers alongside Petecio and Paalam to bring home a medal for boxing for the first since Onyok Velasco’s silver in 1996.
The 28-year-old Marcial, who turned pro after his Tokyo run, remains unbeaten with a 5-0-0 (5 KO) record.
Petecio rounded up her list with a couple of names who made their mark in the sport in Carlos “Iron Man” and Renato Galido.
Galido, a gold medalist in the 1994 Asian Games, is the current coach of the Philippine women’s boxing squad that will compete in the Olympics alongside Petecio and the rest of the team.
Chavez is a small-but-terrible boxer of the 1940s and ‘50s, who beat the likes of ring champions Manuel Ortiz, Lauro Salas and “Golden Boy” Art Aragon.
Agree with their personal picks, boxing fans?
What about you; who’s your favorite boxers of all-time?
[With reports from Carlo Pamintuan, One Sports]