👑 World Champion

Roberto Cruz

📍 Place of Birth: Baguio, Philippines

29 Wins

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12 Losses

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3 Draws

12 KOs

Career: 1955 – 1968

World Titles

WBA WBA World Super Lightweight

Won: Mar 21, 1963 KO R1 Raymundo TorresLost: Jun 15, 1963 UD Eddie Perkins

Regional Belts

Philippines Philippines GAB Welterweight

Won: Apr 26, 1961 UD Rocky Kalingo; 1 DefenseLost: Sep 15, 1963 Vacated

Philippines Philippines GAB Featherweight

Won: Oct 01, 1959 UD Leo EspinosaLost: Sep 30, 1960 Vacated

About Roberto Cruz

Roberto de la Cruz (born November 21, 1941, in Baguio, Philippines) is a retired Filipino boxer who competed from 1955 to 1968. Fighting as an orthodox stylist across the featherweight, welterweight, and light welterweight divisions, he captured the Philippines GAB featherweight title in 1959 and the GAB welterweight crown in 1961. His greatest triumph came on March 21, 1963, when he stunned Battling Torres with a first-round knockout at Dodger Stadium to win the WBA light welterweight championship, becoming one of the Philippines’ world champions. Cruz lost the belt in his first defense to Eddie Perkins and never fought for a world title again, retiring with a professional record of 44 fights, 29 wins (12 KOs), 12 losses, and 3 draws. He remains remembered as a pioneering Filipino champion of the 1960s. In 2026, Roberto Cruz is 84 years old.

Read full article on Wikipedia ↗

Fight Record 44 bouts

No.	Date	Location	Opponent	Division	Result	Rds	At Stake
44	28 Sep 1968	Angeles City, Pampanga, PH	Fel Pedranza 22-9-3		L-KO	3/
43	02 Apr 1968	Nakajima Sports Center, Sapporo, JP	Takeshi Fuji 30-2-0	Welterweight	L-KO	2/10
42	09 Sep 1967	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Masakatsu Narita 5-2-1	Welterweight	W-KO	9/10
41	29 Oct 1966	Cebu Coliseum, Cebu City, PH	Carl Penalosa 11-10-5		D	10
40	10 Jul 1966	Cebu Coliseum, Cebu City, PH	Carl Penalosa 10-9-5	Super Lightweight	W-UD	10
39	18 Sep 1965	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Rocky Montante 4-1-2	Super Lightweight	W-KO	5/
38	23 Jan 1965	Manila, PH	Peter Cobblah 26-32-1		L-UD	10
37	21 Dec 1963	Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila, PH	Flash Tac Bolano 2-5-2		W-KO	3/
36	15 Jun 1963	Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila, PH	Eddie Perkins 30-9-1	Super Lightweight	L-UD	—	WBC World Light Welterweight · WBA World Super Lightweight · RING World Super Lightweight
35	21 Mar 1963	Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, US	Raymundo Torres 47-4-0	Super Lightweight	W-KO	1/	WBA World Super Lightweight
34	15 Sep 1962	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Terry Flores 11-10-1	Welterweight	W-KO	6/12	Philippines GAB Welterweight
33	07 Apr 1962	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Shigemasa Kawakami 3-0-0	Welterweight	L-KO	3/10
32	10 Jan 1962	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Munchai Rorfortor 2-2-1	Welterweight	W-UD	10
31	21 Oct 1961	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Johnny Gonsalves 56-20-3	Welterweight	L-UD	10
30	05 Aug 1961	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Gary Cowburn 16-4-1	Welterweight	W-UD	10
29	26 Apr 1961	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Rocky Kalingo 17-7-2	Welterweight	W-UD	12	Philippines GAB Welterweight
28	19 Nov 1960	Quezon City, PH	J D Ellis 20-10-0	Super Lightweight	D	10
27	09 Jul 1960	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Solomon Boysaw 24-1-1	Lightweight	L-SD	10
26	04 Jun 1960	Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, PH	Solomon Boysaw 23-1-1	Lightweight	L-UD	10
25	02 Apr 1960	Manila, PH	Sompong Pitakasmut 1-0-0		W-KO	5/
24	23 Jan 1960	Zamboanga City, PH	Young Terror 5-1-0		L-UD	10
23	19 Dec 1959	Baguio Mountain Retreat, Baguio City, PH	Flashy Panio 3-6-2		W-UD	8
22	06 Dec 1959	Far Eastern University Gymnasium, Manila, PH	Paulito Escarlan 9-17-4	Lightweight	W-UD	10
21	01 Oct 1959	Manila, PH	Leo Espinosa 44-12-1	Featherweight	W-UD	12	Philippines GAB Featherweight
20	26 Jul 1959	Calumpit, Bulacan, PH	Flashy Panio 3-5-2		W-UD	8
19	05 Jun 1959	Manila, PH	Gil Flores 10-1-1	Featherweight	W-KO	8/12
18	21 Mar 1959	Rizal Open Arena, Manila, PH	Tanny Campo 64-27-9	Featherweight	W-UD	10
17	21 Nov 1958	Quezon City, PH	Army Wonder Boy 6-3-3	Featherweight	W-KO	7/
16	31 Oct 1958	Manila, PH	Rudy Lopez		W-KO	2/
15	19 Sep 1958	Manila, PH	Larry Fernandez 1-3-2		W-UD	8
14	18 Aug 1958	Quezon City, PH	Dio Cagulada 7-1-1	Featherweight	W-KO	3/8
13	25 Apr 1958	San Fernando Town Plaza, San Fernando City, PH	Ernie Masangkay 3-2-2		L-UD	8
12	22 Mar 1958	Guagua, Pampanga, PH	Peping Cortez 0-0-1	Super Bantamweight	W-KO	3/
11	01 Feb 1958	Rizal Open Arena, Manila, PH	Tiger Willie 2-3-1	Super Bantamweight	D	6
10	29 Nov 1957	Manila, PH	Ernie Paredes 2-2-0		W-UD	6
9	23 Oct 1957	Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila, PH	Pancho Dilla 0-1-0		W-UD	6
8	01 Aug 1957	Olongapo City, Pampanga, PH	Max Posadas Jr		W-UD	4
7	01 Apr 1957	PH	Dixie Logan 1-1-0		L-UD	6
6	01 Dec 1956	PH	unknown		W-KO	—
5	01 Aug 1956	Baguio City, PH	Rudy Santamaria		W-UD	4
4	01 Mar 1956	PH	unknown		W-UD	4
3	01 Oct 1955	PH	unknown		W-UD	4
2	01 Jun 1955	Manila, PH	unknown		W-UD	4
1	10 Feb 1955	PH	Laureano Llarenas		L-UD	4

Fighters’ record database is an ongoing project. Fight data may be incomplete or inaccurate. Send comment or info to feedback@philboxing.com.

Roberto Cruz in the Headlines 2 headline articles

13 Apr 2020

STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART XII: ROBERTO CRUZ, THE FIRST FILIPINO WORLD LIGHT WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION

Roberto Cruz, born November 21, 1941 in Baguio City, won the WBA world light welterweight title. He …

By Maloney L. Samaco, PhilBoxing.com 22 Mar 2014

REMEMBERING ROBERTO CRUZ? SENSATIONAL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORY

We vividly recall that when Roberto Cruz won the vacant WBC light welterweight title with a spectacu…

By Ronnie Nathanielsz, PhilBoxing.com

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