Do you guys notice?

[ko factor]

That Filipinos & Mexican fighters share a common brawling style of fighting. Coz most fighters coming from both countries vice-versa are tough warriors that likes to go toe to toe and that they just go forward and never backs down in the ring. Do you guys see a similarity in their style?

[Thread Stealer]

Ruben Olivares and Julio Cesar Chavez are like the quintessential Mexican brawlers (although they had more skills and abilties than just that).

But there's been plenty of terrific Mexican fighters who are more boxer than brawler.

[ko factor]

The Philippines: Boxing's New Mexico
Tim Crowley
08/07/2007 - Los Angeles




New Mexico is a state nestled between Texas and Arizona and on the border with Old Mexico. In boxing, there is a new Mexico emerging and it is the nation of the Philippines.

Pacquiao was the first fighter to establish the Filipinos on the modern superstar level. His destructions of Mexican legends Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales immediately put the Philippines on the map. Golden Boy Promotions is capitalizing on this with their upcoming World Cup of Boxing show on August 11.

The lineup is pitting some of the best fighters from Mexico and the Philippines directly against one another, with two Mexican world champions defending against hungry Filipino challengers. The challengers Rey Bautista and Gerry Penalosa are two of the most highly regarded Filipino fighters behind Pacquiao, and their fights against Daniel Ponce de Leon and Jhonny Gonzalez are expected to be action-packed.

“We have always believed that Filipino fighters were at par with the world’s best in the divisions,” Secuya told TigerBoxing, “but many top caliber fighters never realized their full potential before they retired.”
The Filipinos stand ready and poised to become a new dominant force in boxing. But can they compare to the Mexicans?

The Filipinos have a lot of similarities to Mexican fighters in terms of heart and conditioning, and like in Mexico, this can be attributed to their boxing culture.

Boxing is the second most popular sport in the Philippines, right behind basketball, and like Mexico, many young men are turning to boxing as a way to make a living. As Roach says, “The cultures are very similar. Most of the fighters come from poor backgrounds, and boxing is their way out of poverty. It’s their way to improve their lives and improve their families’ lives, so they’re really dedicated and hungry and they know that they have their countries behind them also.

“And both fighters [Mexican and Filipino] have very similar styles,” Roach added, “they’re very aggressive, very dedicated, and very conditioned. You’re not going to see either one of them get tired and quit.”

So back to the question of whether the Philippines is the new Mexico of boxing. It seems that the answer is: not quite yet, but they could well be on their way.

The Filipino fighters have a comparable worth ethic and a similar economic background as their Mexican counterparts. They also have the full support of their boxing crazy countries and die-hard fans. The biggest difference is that Mexican fighters have been on the world stage longer, and subsequently have been able to leave their prominent mark in boxing history. But it seems that all the factors are there for the Filipinos to make a similar impression.

As to whether the Philippines will overtake Mexico as the nation which produces the world’s most exciting fighters, Roach said “I think there is probably room for both, for both the Mexicans and the Filipinos to be popular in boxing in America. I don’t think the Filipinos are going to replace the Mexicans because they’re always going to be there.”