Pancho Villa was our first boxing world champion,
and he would remain the only Filipino to hold a world title (achieved in 1923, flyweight class), until 1960. But not many
people know that Villa’s record was marred by one defeat—in the hands of
fellow Filipino, FRISCO CONCEPCION (b. 21 Aug. 1901/d. ?), one-time flyweight
champion of the Orient.
Born in San Felipe, Zambales to Lorenzo Concepcion and Enana Labrador, Frisco was a 16 year-old farm boy when American businessman Ed Gallaher took him under his wings and trained him in boxing, Before long, Frisco developed a knock-out punch that floored established boxers like Kid Jamito, Joe Suzara (from whom he wrested the Oriental flyweight crown in a 20-round fight) and Pete Sarmiento, who went on to fight in the U.S.
In April 1921, the 20 year-old Frisco squared off with Pancho Villa in an 8-round contest in Olongapo, Zambales. Villa was then the reigning flyweight champion of Manila. Pancho’s manager, Paquito Villa, was against the fight as he felt there were more worthy contenders for his ward. Pancho Villa went on to fight Frisco without his manager’s knowledge, where he received a trouncing that he would rather forget.
Starting with Round 1, Frisco went for the attack
immediately which took Pancho by surprise. The slugging continued in
Round 2 , but Frisco’s effective counter-punching caused Pancho
to miss his shots. Pancho recovered his bearing in Round 3, as he
focused running his blows on Frisco’s body which visibly hurt him. In
Round 4, Pancho shifted his assault on Frisco’s face, and managed
to duck and avoid Frisco’s counter attacks. Pancho was relentless
in Round 5, but Frisco fought back with sure counter-punches that threw
his opponent off-balance.
It was the same story for Round 6: lagging on points, Pancho unleashed blows on Frisco, who neutralized these with more effective counterpunches. The desperate Pancho tried to go for the kill with a knockout punch but his face and body was met with heavy punches from Frisco. The referee stepped in between the fighters to remind them of the last round.
The fighters shook hands and began Round 8 with Pancho attacking with body blows that were returned with head blows by Frisco. Pancho shifted his style to imitate Frisco, but by then it, was too late as the latter pummeled him with rapid jabs and punches to the face. When the bell sounded, it was clear who the winner was—Frisco Concepcion, with a score of 6 rounds to 2.
An eyewitness to that match was Gregorio Torres, a boxing trainer who observed Frisco’s fighting style: “Frisco’s punches were rapid and his deliveries were level. He was a terrific and aggressive counterpuncher. Frisco’s target was always the jaw of his opponent”.
Frisco, however, had to take a week’s rest to
recover from the heavy body punches that he received from his opponent. As for Villa,
he never fought Frisco again.
After Frisco retired from boxing, he became a photographer. His manager, Gallaher, had operated a portrait studio on the side, which influenced Frisco to make a career shift when his fighting days were over. Frisco Concepcion made photography his lifetime career until his retirement; however, without a doubt, his lifetime achievement will always be the day he conquered a world champion.
SOURCE:
“The Conqueror of
Pancho Villa”, by Felix M. Caliwag, Sunday Times Magazine, 19 June 1960, pp.
18-19.
