BoxRec

As I saw the thread of Orientals vs Occidentals, it occurred to me a list of the best fighters of the Far East Oriental Region.

Far East Oriental Boxers, especially the ones from Philippines, Thailand, South Korea and Japan, are the countries that produced the most boxing world champions. Most of these boxers were criticized for not fighting over seas to other countries, especially coming to America to trade their skills. Some had succeed in America and beat the best. Some of them didn't need to come to Uncle Sam country to fight and get paid the big bucks. They felt that the money and in their own backyards were enough.

Many of them were magnificent and great warriors that the world has ever known. And many of them have fought the very best fighters of their era.

As you go down the list, you will remember some of them that you have seen on film before. Many of them left a big mark on the sport, especially in the lower weight classifications like from strawweight to bantamweight.

Here is my top 25 Greatest Far East/Oriental Boxers of All-time:

1. Manny Pacquiao (Philippines)
2. Fighting Harada (Japan)
3. Pancho Villa (Philippines)
4. Myung Woo-Yuh (South Korea)
5. Jung Koo-Chang (South Korea)
6. Flash Elorde (Philippines)
7. Naoya Inoue (Japan)......could be probably top 3 when his career is finished.

8. Khosai Galaxy (Thailand)
9. Pone Kingpetch (Thailand)
10. Chartchai Chionoi (Thailand)
11. Nonito Donaire (Philippines)
12. Sot Chitalada (Thailand)
13. Kazuto Ioka (Japan)
14. Yoko Gushiken (Japan)
15. Ceferino Garcia (Philippines)
16. Kuniaki Shibata (Japan)
17. Hozumi Hazegawa (Japan)
18. Sung Kil Moon (South Korea)
19. Masao Ohba (Japan)
20. Ratanapol Sowvorapin (Thailand)
21. Akira Yaegashi (Japan)
22. Koichi Wajima (Japan)
23. Ponsaklek Wongjomkam (Thailand)
24. Saensak Muagsurin (Thailand)
25. Saman Sorjaturong (Thailand)

Honorary Mention/Didn't Make the Cut:
Hiroshi Kobayashi (Japan)
Jiro Watanabe (Japan)
Guts Ishimatsu (Japan)
Luisito Espinosa (Philippines)

Kim Soo Kim (South Korea) The country's first boxing world champion and the first man ever to beat Nino Benvenutti. He ended Benvenutti's 65 win streak.

Soo Hwang Hong (South Korea)
Veeraphol Sahaprom (Thailand)
Brian Viloria (Philippines)

Your comments, please.

Brian Viloria was born and raised in Hawaii, he is American.
If you consider Hawaii a Far East location that's fine but if you don't then Viloria should not be considered.

Australia not far enough east?

Chris John?(Indonesia)
Sor Rungvisai?(Thailand)

Perseus wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 19:30 Brian Viloria was born and raised in Hawaii, he is American.
If you consider Hawaii a Far East location that's fine but if you don't then Viloria should not be considered.

Australia not far enough east?

Chris John?(Indonesia)
Sor Rungvisai?(Thailand)

Ain't Brian Viloria from the Philippines?

elmersalsa wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 20:04

Perseus wrote: ↑26 May 2026, 19:30 Brian Viloria was born and raised in Hawaii, he is American.
If you consider Hawaii a Far East location that's fine but if you don't then Viloria should not be considered.

Australia not far enough east?

Chris John?(Indonesia)
Sor Rungvisai?(Thailand)

Ain't Brian Viloria from the Philippines?

No.
Born and raised in Hawaii.

of all of those, which ones do you feel had fought most like Bruce Lee would have ?
( if he had turned to professional boxing in say 1965, instead of doing the Green Hornet

Gabriel "Flash" Elordes.
the dude's pro boxing career lasted 20 years !

What about Polynesian fighters?
Did you know that (according to scientist) their ancestral "homeland' is believed to be (what is now known) as Taiwan ?
also did you know that New Zealand is not really an island in the "South Seas"
but actually part of an ancient submerged continent that is mostly underwater.
That Antarctica and New Zealand are part of that continent known as "Gondwanaland" ?

hey what about Ishimatsu Suzuki ?what was he considered "chopped-liver" or somethin' ?
(just joking-everyone knows that he had later changed his name to "Guts" Ishimatsu-with much great success.