Thomas Americo
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Thomas Americo (December 24, 1958 – September 7, 1999) was an
East Timor Timor-Leste, also known as East Timor, officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is a country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the coastal exclave of Oecusse in the island's northwest, and ...
ese professional boxer. Americo won the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation's Super Lightweight title in only his second recorded professional fight, and in only his third fight, he became the first
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
n (at the time, East Timor had not gained independence from Indonesia) fighter to challenge for a world title, when he fought
World Boxing Council The World Boxing Council (WBC) is an international professional boxing organization. It is among the four major organizations which sanction professional boxing bouts, alongside the World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation ...
Super Lightweight (Junior Welterweight) champion of the world, Saoul Mamby. In becoming the first Indonesian to fight for a world title, Americo became also the first boxer from East Timor to do so.


Professional boxing career

Thomas Americo began boxing professionally on April 19, 1980, taking on the far more experienced, Australian Eddie Buttoms, who had 60 wins, 13 losses and 7 draws (ties) but who was nearing the end of his own boxing career. This fight took place in
Malang Malang (; , ), historically known as Tumapel, is an inland List of regencies and cities of Indonesia, city in the Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province of East Java. It has a history dating back to the age of the Singhasari, Singhasari K ...
, and Americo upset his opponent with a ten round decision win, after which Buttoms retired. In his next fight, Americo was pitted against hot prospect Sang Mo-Koo of Busan, South Korea. Mo-Koo was being touted as a possible world title challenger for Mamby's WBC crown and had a record of 21-1-2, with 13 knockout wins. This bout was held on August 15, 1980 at
Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
. Once again, Americo upset a far more experienced rival by knocking the South Korean out in round eight to win the OPBF Super Lightweight title. With these two upset wins, Americo became ranked by the WBC in the Super Lightweight division and got the world title chance that Mo-Koo was expected to receive next.


World Title challenge

Next, Americo challenged the world traveling, WBC world Super Lightweight champion Saoul Mamby. Mamby had fought in
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,
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,
Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
,
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, the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...
,
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, Curacao and
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
besides fights in his native
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(he would later also fight in
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,
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,
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,
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,
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and the
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as well). Mamby was 30-12-5 with 14 knockouts coming into their bout, compared to Americo's 2-0 with one knockout. Mamby-Americo was the first world title fight ever held in Indonesia. The bout was held on August 29, 1981, exactly 1 year and 2 weeks after Americo's prior fight. It took place at Jakarta's Bung Karno Stadium. After 15 torrid rounds, Americo did enough to have Japanese judge Takeo Ugo score the bout a draw at 146-146, but lost on the scorecards of Italian Marcello Berlini by 147-139 and Mexican-American Rudy Ortega by 146-141, therefore losing the fight by a majority decision.


Rest of career

Next, Americo faced another world-caliber fighter, former WBC world Super-Lightweight Champion, South Korean Sang-Hyun Kim. This bout was held on December 20, 1981 at Daejeon, South Korea, marking the first time Americo boxed abroad as a professional. Americo lost the bout, and with it recognition as OPBF Super Lightweight champion, by a twelve round decision. Next, Americo went to
Sydney, Australia Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales and the most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 80 km (50 mi) from the Pacific Ocean ...
, to face Australian veteran Jeff Malcolm, 57-19-9, as part of a boxing undercard topped by a fight between Paul Ferreri and John Feeney. This boxing card has the peculiarity of being the only one ever held at the world famous
Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...
. On April 2, 1982, Americo suffered his third loss in a row, beaten on points by Malcolm. Thomas Americo next faced a list of mostly unremarkable foes, with a combined record of 28-19-4 before retiring from boxing. The possible exception was Rocky Pirottina, who was 16-3-2 when he and Americo faced off on April 4, 1984, and who defeated Americo on points after ten rounds. During this part of his career, Americo went 4-3-1 with 1 knockout, this being against 0-1 Agus Sabara on October 6, 1986, dispatched by Americo in five rounds. In his last fight, on June 29, 1987, Americo fought Bongguk Kendy for the Indonesian national Super-Lightweight title; Kendy was 2-1 coming in. Americo lost the bout by twelve round decision, retiring from boxing soon after. He had a professional boxing record of 8 wins, 6 losses and 1 draw, with 3 knockout wins.


Death

During the last days of the Indonesian occupation of East Timor, which lasted from 1975 to 1999, acts of violence happened in the streets of Dili, Americo's hometown. Americo was a victim of one of these, being dragged from his car and shot dead by militia on September 7, 1999, shortly before East Timor gained its independence.


See also

* Joko Arter * Chris John * Ellyas Pical


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Americo, Thomas 1958 births 1999 deaths Light-welterweight boxers Indonesian male boxers East Timorese male boxers Deaths by firearm in Indonesia Indonesian murder victims People from Dili 1999 murders in Indonesia 20th-century Indonesian sportsmen