Erbito Salavarria: Forgotten ring hero
Credit to Author: EDDIE G. ALINEA| Date: Sat, 13 Apr 2019 16:29:36 +0000
From the time Filipino fighter Pancho Villa won the Philippines’ and, for that matter, Asia’s first world championship in boxing the country has produced many great ring gladiators as Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Ceferino Garcia and, lately, Manny Pacquiao, to mention a few.
One such ring hero is former two time world champion Erbito Salavarria, who, ironically, has been practically forgotten, too.
No longer remembered is the fact that Salvarria, “Eddie” as he is fondly called in the local boxing community, played major role in the flyweight division in the 60s through most of the 70’s.
This Outsider met my Tucayo during the Elorde Awards Night last month at the posh Okada Hotel. Eddie was sitting in a round table along with old heroes, who were also honorees, among them, Rene Barrientos and Pretty Boy Lucas.
Tucayong Eddie was actually waving his hands at my direction when I entered the door. So, I approached his group in the table and was surprised it was he. “Ikaw pala,” I greeted him. “Ang layo ko pa nakilala mo ako agad.”
“Siyempre naman. Makakalimutan ba kita eh tagal mo rin naman akong na-kober nung lumalaban pa ako. Tsaka alam mo na naman ang boxer, always a boxer habang buhay, always sharp,” (Of course, how can I forget you, you had been covering me for quite sometime when I was still fighting. As a boxer, I’m always a boxer, always sharp), he said smiling, tapping me on my shoulder.
Asked how’s he doing, nowadays, Salavarria retorted, “Sabi ko nga sa ‘yo, a boxer, always a boxer. So, nasa boxing pa rin,” he said, adding he’s allocated portion of his earnings in a boxing gym located inside the family compound in Barangay San Francisco in Quezon City.
“Kumikita naman, nakakatulong sa pangangailangan. Kaya lang ‘yung isang main purpose ko kaya ko tinayo ‘yun eh para maka-discover ng young talents at ma-develop para katawanin ang bansa sa international competitions, amateur o professional man. Wala pa eh,” the now 73-year-old former WBC/WBA 112-pound titleholder lamented.
(It’s earning and augments the family need. My only regret is one of my main objectives in establishing the gym—that of discovering young talent I can develop to represent our country in international competitions, whether amateur or professional, has yet to gain fruition)
But Eddie, though, is not losing hope, saying, I feel that one day, may isang future Manny Pacquiao ang papasok sa pintuan ng gym at magsasabing, Sir, gusto kong mag-boksingero, puwede nyo ba akong turuan?”
“Aba’y bukas-palad ko siyang tatanggapin at sasabihang, halika anak. Lahat ng gusto mong malaman sa boksing, ituturo ko sa yo. Basta pagbutuhin mo lang,” Eddie exclaimed with a loud laughter.
Born January 20, 1946 in Sta, Cruz in Manila, Salavarria is a former WBC, WBA and lineal flyweight champion.
He made his professional debut in 1963 and crowned the WBC and lineal flyweight title with a TKO win over Chartchai Chionoi seven years later in 1970. He lost the WBC title after being stripped following a draw against Betulio González in 1971.
Salavarria won an upset 10-round non-title decision over reigning WBA flyweight titleholder Berkrerk Chartvanchai in a victory that earned Erbito a title shot against WBC titlist Chionoi.
The Filipino shocked the boxing world as he flattened the great Chionoi in the second round. In 1971, Salavarria defended against Japanese Suumo Hanagata (W-15 ) and Venezuela’s Betulio Gonzalez ( D-15 ).
The lineal championship in professional boxing regarded a more prestigious and commonly described as “the man who beat the man.”
A boxer can only win the lineal championship by defeating the previous lineal champion in the ring.
In combat sports where champions are decided by a challenge, the lineal championship of a weight class is a world championship title held initially by an undisputed champion and subsequently by a fighter when he defeats the reigning champion in a match at that weight class.
Salavarria is the second of only six Filipino fighters to have won the world lineal flyweight championhip, next only to legendary Pancho Villa. The other being Frank Cedeno, Manny Pacquiao, Malcolm, Tunacao and Sonny Boy Jaro.
Pacquiao, now a Philippine senator and the only man on earth to have won world titles in eight weight divisions, is actually listed lineal champion in four other divisions —featherweight, super-featherweight, light-welterweight and welterweight.
Three more Filipino simonpures are acknowledged world, lineal titleholders—bantamweight Gerry Peñalosa, super-featherweight BenVillaflor (twice) and Flash Elorde.
In 1973, Salavarria lost his title to the fabulous Thai southpaw Venice Borkhorsor.
After losing his WBC belt, Salavarria moved to the WBA and took that version of the 112-pound crown with a split decision win over Hanagata in 1975.
Salavarria stayed in contention winning four of five fights losing only to Panama’s Alfonso Lopez. He then defeated Hanagata in a title defense.
In 1976, Erbito again met Panamian Lopez who stripped Salavarria of the title via a fifteenth round stoppage. Erbito would have one more contest being halted by former light flyweight king Netmoi Sor Vorasingh.
Salavarria ended his career with 54 fights, 40 of which he won, 11 via stoppage. He lost eleven and drew three times.
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