In 1923, Filipino boxer Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo shattered expectations by becoming the first Asian flyweight world champion. This historic triumph not only ignited the Great Filipino Boxing Era but also emboldened a nation facing the violence of U.S. imperialism. Our book,Pancho Villa: World Champion 1923, tells the incredible story of Villa’s rise from humble beginnings in the Philippines to his world-renowned victory, and how his journey changed boxing forever.
