Leopoldo Serantes (March 15, 1962-September 1, 2021) has passed away after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
He was 59 years old.
Serantes, an icon in Philippine boxing, won bronze in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, Korea.
Prior to that, he won gold in the 1985 Bangkok and 1987 Jakarta Southeast Asian Games.
He was the inspiration of boxers like Onyok and Roel Velasco to enter the sport.
“Si Leopoldo Serantes, isa yang alamat sa boxing. Nung naguumpisa pa lang kami, nandiyan na siya. Siya na yung tinitingala na namin,” said Onyok, a silver medalist in the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Last month, Chooks-to-Go pledged to give Serantes a monthly allowance of P100,000 for life.
With Serantes’ passing, Chooks-to-Go will be assisting the family with the transport and burial of his body.
“It saddens me to know the passing of a true sports hero. The whole country is in mourning,” said Chooks-to-Go president Ronald Mascariñas. “We are now in coordination with his family to provide financial assistance for his burial.”
