Onyok Velasco

Mansueto "Onyok" Velasco Jr. (born January 10, 1974) is a Filipino retired boxer, comedian and actor from Bago, Negros Occidental, Philippines. Competing in the 48 kg category he won a gold medal at the 1994 Asian Games and a silver at the 1996 Summer Olympics, the Philippines' only medal at those Games. He is the younger brother of Roel Velasco, a light-flyweight boxer who won a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.[1]

Velasco(bottom second) together with other athletes, carry the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games Federation flag during the opening ceremony of the 30th SEA Games at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan on 2019.
Onyok Velasco
Velasco on 2017 stamp
Personal information
Full nameMansueto Velasco Jr.
Nickname(s)Onyok[1]
Born (1974-01-10) January 10, 1974
Bago, Negros Occidental, Philippines[1]
Height1.57 m (5 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight48 kg (106 lb)
Sport
SportBoxing
Weight classLight flyweight
Medal record
Men's amateur boxing
Representing the  Philippines
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 1996 Atlanta Light flyweight (-48 kg)
Asian Games
Gold medal – first place 1994 Hiroshima Light flyweight (-48 kg)
Asian Amateur Boxing Championships
Silver medal – second place 1995 Tashkent Light Flyweight

Olympic results

Acting career

Velasco retired from boxing due to lack of government support and pursued an acting career, stating that he found it more financially sustainable.[2] His life and boxing career was featured in the 1997 film The Onyok Velasco Story, where he played himself. This marked his first venture into acting.[3][4]

Velasco later had a successful career as a comedian, appearing in several sitcoms and comedy films, including Show Me Da Manny on GMA 7.[5] He also played the role of a boxing trainer on the TV5 comedy-drama Beki Boxer.[6][7]

Unfulfilled incentives

For his feat in the 1996 Summer Olympics, he received pledges of monetary and non-monetary incentives. He was able to receive ₱1 million from then-Manila Mayor Mel Lopez and ₱500,000 from the Philippine Sports Commission. However, not all of these pledges materialized as of 2021 including a ₱2.5 million pledge by the House of Representatives in 1996 and the title for the house and lot he received.[8][9]

Filmography

Television

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mansueto Velasco.
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Mansueto Velasco". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 2020-04-18.
  2. Gasgonia, Dennis (July 20, 2021). "Why silver winner Onyok turning to comedy breaks fellow Olympian Monsour's heart". ABS-CBN News.
  3. Japitana, Norma (August 9, 1996). "A New Wave of Film Bios". Manila Standard. Philippine Manila Standard Publishing. p. 30. Retrieved March 14, 2023 – via Google News.
  4. "Onyok as Onyok in "Velasco Story"". Manila Standard. Philippine Manila Standard Publishing. December 2, 1997. p. 19. Retrieved February 5, 2023 – via Google News.
  5. Cu-Unjieng, Philip. "'Show Me the Manny'". Philippine Star. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  6. "Pacman serves as inspiration for Alwyn". 17 April 2014. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  7. "Alwyn Uytingco downplays comparisons of Beki Boxer with My Husband's Lover". 13 February 2014. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
  8. Nasiad, Frederick (5 August 2021). "Onyok did not get all promised reward". The Manila Times. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
  9. "Palace to look into Onyok Velasco's possible incentive". Philippine News Agency. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
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