Morris East
Born (1973-08-08) August 8, 1973
Olongapo, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Statistics
Weight(s)Light welterweight
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
StanceSouthpaw
Boxing record
Total fights25
Wins20
Wins by KO12
Losses4
No contests1

Morris East (born August 8, 1973, in Olongapo, Philippines) is a retired Filipino professional boxer and boxing trainer.[1] East is the former GAB Light Middleweight, OPBF and WBA World Light Welterweight champion.[2] Morris has trained world champions Zab Judah and Nonito Donaire.[3]

Amateur career

As a teenager, East moved to Cebu City and was spotted by Lito Cortes who brought him to the Cebu Coliseum gym. Promoter Sammy Gello-ani then offered him amateur fights to keep him earning for his meals.[4]

Professional career

WBA Light Welterweight Championship

East turned professional in 1989 and won the WBA World Light Welterweight Championship by defeating Akinobu Hiranaka with an 11th-round TKO victory in Tokyo on 9 September 1992. With the victory, East became the youngest ever Filipino to hold a world championship in boxing at the age of 19 years and 31 days old. He is also the second youngest boxer to win a world title at 140 lbs., second to Puerto Rico's Wilfred Benítez, who won the WBA World Jr. Welterweight title when he was 17 years old. The victory over Hiranaka was named Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year for 1992. Morris lost the title in his first defense against Martín Coggi.

East would retire after winning and defending the Philippines Games & Amusement Board Light Middleweight Championship in 1995 at only 21 years of age.

Professional boxing record

25 fights 20 wins 4 losses
By knockout 12 1
By decision 8 3
No contests 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
25 Win 20–4 (1) Robert Azumah UD 12 27 May 1995 Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines Retained GAB super-welterweight title
24 Win 19–4 (1) Jun Castillo TKO 1 (12) 25 Mar 1995 Iloilo Sports Complex, Iloilo City, Iloilo, Philippines Won vacant GAB super-welterweight title
23 Loss 18–4 (1) Jintoku Sato UD 10 13 Feb 1995 Japan
22 Win 18–3 (1) Jeff Malcolm UD 10 26 Nov 1994 Cebu Coliseum, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
21 Win 17–3 (1) Lee Yung-Yong KO 6 (10) 14 May 1994 Araneta Center, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
20 Loss 16–3 (1) Martín Coggi TKO 8 (12), 2:50 12 Jan 1993 Estadio Super Domo, Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina Lost WBA super-lightweight title
19 Win 16–2 (1) Akinobu Hiranaka TKO 11 (12), 1:47 9 Sep 1992 Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan Won WBA super-lightweight title
18 Win 15–2 (1) Dindo Canoy TKO 9 (10), 0:47 17 Jul 1992 Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
17 Win 14–2 (1) Kim Pyung-Sub KO 10 (12), 1:22 29 Feb 1992 Citizen Hall, Bucheon, South Korea Won OPBF light welterweight title
16 Win 13–2 (1) Flash Ursus UD 10 20 Dec 1991 Olympia Sports Complex, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines
15 Win 12–2 (1) Florencio Pastor Jr. TKO 9 (10) 19 Oct 1991 Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
14 Win 11–2 (1) Tata Escorro TKO 7 (10) 28 Aug 1991 Barangay Marulas, Valenzuela City, Metro Manila, Philippines
13 Win 10–2 (1) Joey Carpas PTS 10 12 Jun 1991 Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
12 NC 9–2 (1) Jojo Cayson NC 6 (10), 0:35 22 Dec 1990 Cebu Coliseum, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines NC after both fighters refused to engage
11 Win 9–2 Armando Anzalez UD 10 12 Oct 1990 Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
10 Win 8–2 Ric de la Paz TKO 4 (10) 31 Aug 1990 Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
9 Win 7–2 Pablo Pucay TKO 6 (10), 2:32 14 Jul 1990 Baguio College Foundation Gym, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines
8 Loss 6–2 Fernando Palad SD 10 31 Mar 1990 Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
7 Win 6–1 Alberto Saxon TKO 5 (10) 21 Jan 1990 Barangay Malinta, Valenzuela City, Metro Manila, Philippines
6 Win 5–1 Boy Masuay TKO 6 (10) 29 Dec 1989 Pasay City Sports Complex, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines
5 Win 4–1 Armando Andales UD 10 30 Nov 1989 Angeles City, Pampanga, Philippines
4 Loss 3–1 Boy Masuay MD 10 30 Sep 1989 PRCI, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
3 Win 3–0 Geronimo Magallanes UD 8 21 Jul 1989 PRCI, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
2 Win 2–0 Fer Guevarra UD 6 23 Jun 1989 PRCI, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines
1 Win 1–0 Jessie Miranda TKO 6 (6) 3 May 1989 Elorde Sports Center, Paranaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Training career

East moved to San Diego, California in 1996 and later moved to Las Vegas, where he works as a fight trainer in the Johnny Tocco gym. In 2011, he worked with IBF light welterweight titleholder Zab Judah and WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire. East also worked with Eddie Mustafa Muhammad.

Personal life

Born of a Filipina and black American U.S. Navy sailor,[5] East didn't meet his father until he became champion. He traveled from the Philippines to the United States a month after winning his WBA belt to locate his father, John East, Sr. With the help of a long-lost sister and the CNN news team, the father was located in Oakland, California and their first meeting was broadcast by CNN. Morris improved his father's living condition but his father, suffering from bad health, died of cancer a few months later.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "I TOLD PACQUIAO ONE DAY HE WILL BECOME A CHAMPION...HE REALLY MADE IT". Fighthype. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
  2. ↑ "Morris East Signs Juanito Rubillar, Rexon Flores". Boxingscene. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
  3. ↑ "Donaire blazing trail up sport's ladder of success". SFGate. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  4. ↑ "MORRIS EAST IS THE YOUNGEST EVER FILIPINO BOXING CHAMPION". Philboxing. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  5. ↑ "EAST LOOKS TO WEST, FOR FATHER AND GLORY". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
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