Emmanuel Rivera, RRT
271 articles · PhilBoxing.com
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Recah Trinidad 1943-2026: A Legacy Beyond Headlines and Deadlines
Philippine sports journalism lost one of its giants with the passing of Ricardo “Recah” Trinidad. To me, however, Recah was more than a great reporter. Through his words, his friendship with my…
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A Filipino Champion’s Last Fourth of July: A Visit to Oaks Ball Park
Emeryville, California — It has been one hundred and one years after Pancho Villa fought the final bout of his extraordinary career. And this week, I finally made my way to the…
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Sampson Lewkowicz: Boxing’s Picasso
In the fight game, a man’s reputation is either his greatest asset or his heaviest burden. For Sampson Lewkowicz, it has only grown stronger and more special through the decades. Long before…
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Lieutenant Delfin Boholst: Soldier, Boxing Coach, Mentor
Boxing fans know Delfin Boholst today as the chief trainer of Filipino title contender Charly Suarez. On July 11, 2026, he’ll work Suarez’s corner at San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza — part…
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Long After the Cheers: Luisito Espinosa…Battle of Manila Bay 2…and an Unofficial World Record Worth Remembering
May 17, 2026 San Francisco, California On July 11, 2026, everything converges on San Francisco’s Civic Center Plaza — corporate money, digital turnstiles, the political backing of Mayor Daniel Lurie — all…
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Six Rounds to Silence the Magic Man: Why Rolando Dy is Malignaggi’s Worst Nightmare
This Saturday, May 16th, at the AO Arena in Manchester, things are about to get ugly for Paulie Malignaggi. Everyone knows the “Magic Man” story — the world titles, the sharp boxing…
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Kulog at Kidlat: Boxing, Art, Thunder and Lightning at the 3rd Pacquiao–Elorde Awards
Lightning comes first. Not because it happens earlier — but because it reaches us first. The sky cracks open with light. The air answers with sound. Light travels faster. Sound follows. Boxing…
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Hermie Rivera: A Fil-Am Original
Hermenegildo Ordoña Rivera was born on April 17, 1938, in Baguio City, Philippines. Growing up in the cool climes of the Mountain Province, amidst the clouds, he witnessed the fusion of Filipino…
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Remembering Mr. Elorde: Still the Gold Standard
There are dates that live beyond the calendar—dates that settle into our archive of gratitude. March 25, 1935 is one of those days for anyone who remembers Gabriel “Flash” Elorde. Now, we…
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Oakland Municipal Auditorium: Sacred Hall Where Filipino Boxing World Champions Were Crowned
The Oakland Auditorium, now known as the Henry J. Kaiser Convention Center, occupies a holy place in the Pantheon of Philippine boxing. Long before championships were unified and sanctioning bodies standardized the…
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United States Air Force Paralegals: Law, Order, and Excellence
Today at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, a new group of Airmen completed their final requirement at the Air Force Judge Advocate General’s School— Paralegal Apprentice Course 25-005. With that step…
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Coach Marvin Somodio: Full of Life and Punch at 42
Los Angeles — In a blood sport full of voices, Marvin Somodio has always been the quiet one. At 42, he remains one of the most respected young trainers at the Wild…
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Mabuhay at Salamat: ‘The Thirty’ Filipino Boxers Who Became Giants
In this Season of Thanksgiving, we humbly offer this tribute and artistic photo rendition, drawn from original photographs, in honor of The Thirty Filipino fistic pioneers whose faces mirror our own story.…
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Luisito “Lindol” Espinosa and the Art of Playing Boxing
“I will play boxing with you.”… Those were the words written more than a century ago by Joe Waterman, Manila’s foremost journalist of the 1920s and one of the founding fathers of…
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A Filipino and an American Homecoming
Every celebration begins with the lives that gave it weight and meaning. Family, friends, strangers, acquaintances, colleagues, revered mentors, and the rare editors we meet along the way all help make our…
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The Filipino American Center at 100 Larkin: A Sanctuary of Story, Spirit, and Memory (Special Series 4 of 5)
San Francisco has always been a city of interesting stories. At 100 Larkin Street — where the Main Library rises across from City Hall — you step into a place where those…
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Boxing Ephemera, Pacquiao’s Mouthguard, and the Meaning of It All
A Journey Through Keepsakes From Thrilla in Manila to The Fight of the Century What’s the point of an autograph, really? On the surface it’s just ink—somebody’s name scrawled on a ticket,…
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The Evolution of Kru Mark Tabuso: Filipino American Martial Artist (Special Series 3 of 5)
South San Francisco, California — From the sidewalk, 647 El Camino Real could be any other storefront. Nondescript. Quiet. But step through the doors of Evolve Training Center and the air changes.…
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Danovis Pooler and the Martial Art of Boxing (Special Series 2 of 5)
Master Danovis “Dee” Pooler lives and breathes the martial art of boxing. To those who know him, the sweet science isn’t just a sport—it’s his destiny; both as a student and as…
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Two (or Three) Lefts Make a Right: Francisco Guilledo to Luisito Espinosa
The Filipino boxing aficionados of old called it Gancho al hígado, luego de izquierda a la cabeza— a hook to the liver, then a left to the head. It was the favorite…
