Bernabe Villacampo
| Bernabe Villacampo | |
|---|---|
| Statistics | |
| Rated at | Flyweight |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Born |
June 11, 1943 Toledo City, Cebu, Philippines |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 98 |
| Wins | 39 |
| Wins by KO | 26 |
| Losses | 21 |
| Draws | 5 |
Bernabe Villacampo (born June 11, 1943) was a Philippine boxer who took the WBA World Flyweight Championship in a fifteen round Unanimous Decision on October 19, 1969 against Japanese boxer Hiroyuki Ebihara at the Prefectural Gymnasium, in Osaka, Japan. Villacampo's business manager was Lope Sarreal Jr. A strong puncher, he knocked out opponents in 40% of the matches he won.
Villacampo started out as a vendor selling ice drops, rice puffs, and newspapers. Hawking newspapers and working as vendors were common part time professions for young boxers, and a frequent trade of American boxers in the early twentieth century. At 19, he started boxing as an amateur in tournaments representing his school, the University of Visayas, to supplement the paltry living he made as a vendor.
By the time he turned twenty in 1963, he was clearly competing as a professional. Between August 1962 and July 1965 he fought mostly in Cebu, Philippines, his hometown, or occasionally on the Philippine's big island, Luzon. He won fourteen of his first nineteen fights during this period.
Moving up in recognition and the level of his competition, he scored an upset sixth round knockout against Japanese boxer Katsuyoshi Takayama on November 6, 1967, in Okayama, Japan.
On May 15, 1968, he fought a twelve round draw for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Flyweight Championship against Tsuyoshi Nakamura in Tokyo, Japan.
On November 10, 1968, he made an unsuccessful attempt at the WBC Flyweight Championship against Chartchai Chionoi. He lost in a fifteen round Unanimous Decision in Bankok, Thailand. Chionoi immediately announced his retirement after the win, his fourth title defense, stating, "I am tired of the fightgame and feel sick and unwell." Chionoi did not retire and fought on to win the title two more times before finally retiring in 1974. Chionoi survived his boxing career, though suffers from Parkinson's in his retirement.
He took the WBA World Flyweight Championship in a fifteen round Unanimous Decision on October 19, 1969 against Japanese boxer Hiroyuki Ebihara at the Prefectural Gymnasium, in Osaka, Japan. He stunned the enthusiastic Japanese crowd in Osaka by claiming the title against the heavy hometown favorite.
While still champion on December 14, 1969 he was defeated in a non-title fight by Masao Oba in a ten round Uanimous Decision in Tokyo, Japan.
On February 7, 1970, in a non-title fight in Manila he won a ten round Unanimous Decision against Raton Mojica of Nicaragua.
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