Bernabe Villacampo

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.[2] 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.[2]

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.[1]

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.[4]

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.

Attempt at the WBC World Flyweight Championship

Chartchai Chionoi

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 Bangkok, 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."[5] 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.[1]

In his first title defense, he lost the WBA World Flyweight Championship in a close fifteen round split decision on April 5, 1970 against Thai boxer Berkrerk Chartvanchai in Bangkok, Thailand.[1] The loss dropped Villacampo to third in the World ratings.[8] As the Philippines was and had been an American protectorate, many American papers covered Villacampo's loss, though in short paragraphs, with minimal detail. In a close bout, the Associated Press had the scoring 73-70 for Chartvanchai.[9] Chartvanchai used primarily body punches and solid defense to take the title. He made Villicampo miss repeatedly and scored frequently with blows to the torso. In the eighth he opened a cut above Villacampo's eye that bothered his opponent throughout the remainder of the bout.[10] One source noted "Villicampo...was the more aggressive but could not land telling blows." Many of Chartvanchai's best scoring punches were quick strikes to the torso after breaking out of clinches.[11]

On January 31, 1976, he lost to Rolando Navarette, in a second round TKO in Cebu, Philippines.[1]

On June 24, 1977, he won the Philippines Games and Amusement Board's (GAB) Flyweight Title by defeating Arnel Arrozal in a fourth round technical knockout in Manila.[1]

On March 7, 1978 he won a fourth round knockout in an important bout against 1980 World Light Flyweight Champion Shigeo Nakajima in Tokyo, Japan.[1]

On July 1, 1978 he fought a GAB Flyweight title fight to a twelve round draw against Julius Gonzaga at Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines.[1] On August 28, 1978, he relinquished the GAB Flyweight Title, the equivalent of the Philippines National Flyweight Championship to Gonzaga against at Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines in a seventh of twelve round knockout.

After his fifth round knockout loss on November 24, 1979 to Danilo Inocian, at Cotabato del Sur, Philippines, he retired from boxing.[1]

In another honor, Villacampo was named fighter of the month by the World Boxing Association in December 1969.[14]