SPORTS HEROES TURNED MOVIE STARS # 1: ANTHONY VILLANEUVA

Filipino boxer Anthony Villanueva competed in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in the Featherweight (57 kg) division. He won the silver medal, bowing to eventual Gold Medal winner Soviet Union's Stanislav Stepashkin in a controversial decision.

The Manila Times/ October 24, 1964

Tokyo, Japan/ October 23, 1964/ Anthony Villaneuva lost his bid for an Olympic gold medal--- the ultimate in athletic greatness--- but 7,000 boxing fans who saw it all thought he was robbed. Boos and catcalls greeted the 3-2 decision for Russian Stanislav Stepashkin at the end of the bloody, fiercely fought featherweight final which the 19-year old Filipino gamecock carried in the last two rounds. There were no knockdowns, but Villaneuva staggered the veteran Russian fighter several times and was often blasting away at will in his grim all-out effort to improve on the silver medal--- the Philippines’ first--- he already clinched.

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Left- Pamatay: Kaliwa at Kanan...! (1964)- Stars Nida Blanca, Willie Sotelo, Vilma Valera and Anthony Vilaneuva/ with Jose Padila, Jr./ Directed by Larry Santiago

Right- Salonga Brothers (1965)- Stars Joseph Estrada, Joe De Castro and Anthony Villaneuva/ with Annabelle Huggins, Olive Dela Pena and Paquito Diaz/ Directed by Pablo Santiago