Today, Wednesday, March 11, marks the 10th anniversary of the passing of Francisco Gilberto Mendoza—simply “Gilberto” to the thousands of friends he made in boxing and in life—and President Emeritus of the World Boxing Association (WBA).
Created in 1921 as the National Boxing Association (NBA) and known by its current name since 1962, the WBA remains the oldest governing body in world boxing.
A decade after his passing, the memory of Gilberto remains intact, especially for his widow Elena, his children Gilberto Jesús and María Elena, and for all those who accompanied him during his tireless and brilliant tenure at the helm of the WBA. Mendoza guided the organization with remarkable leadership for more than 33 years. Today, the association is led by his son, Gilberto Jesús Mendoza, who assumed the presidency shortly before his father’s passing on that March 11 ten years ago.
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A Life Devoted to Boxing
It bears repeating what has been said many times before: Francisco Gilberto Mendoza (Barquisimeto, March 30, 1943 – Caracas, March 11, 2016) served as the great helmsman of the WBA for more than three decades—from October 1982 until March 2015.
During that time, he built a legacy that will endure as long as young athletes around the world continue to practice the sport of boxing—the discipline in which two opponents compete using only their gloved fists, striking above the waist inside the squared circle over a series of three-minute rounds under a precise set of rules governing weight classes, bout length, and competition structure.
Beyond his accomplishments as an administrator, Mendoza was known for his generosity toward others, his loyalty in friendship, and an admirable humility that left no room for arrogance. Above all, he was defined by an unwavering work ethic.
Listing every contribution Gilberto made to the sport he loved would be a difficult task. His impact on boxing was so profound that mentioning his name evokes the same immediate association with the sport as legendary figures such as Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Sugar Ray Robinson, or Roberto “Manos de Piedra” Durán.
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His Rise to the Presidency
Mendoza was elected WBA president on October 7, 1982, during the organization’s annual convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
An industrial engineer who graduated from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Caracas, he also completed postgraduate studies in Administration and Educational Technology at the University of Toledo in Ohio and specialized in Formal Business Planning at the Stanford Research Institute in Palo Alto, California.
He remained in boxing’s highest office within the organization until December 2015, when he stepped down due to illness. His resignation was formalized during a meeting of the WBA in Panama City in 2016, where delegates unanimously elected Gilberto Jesús Mendoza, then serving as executive vice president, as his successor.
Last year, Gilberto Jesús Mendoza was reelected for another five-year term in recognition of his leadership and the work he has carried forward.
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A Tireless Builder
One of Mendoza’s earliest contributions to the organization came when he helped develop the WBA Rankings Manual, which remains in use today. He prepared the document while serving on the Executive Committee as one of the closest collaborators of Panamanian boxing leader Rodrigo Sánchez Colón, who later became his mentor.
Among Mendoza’s many initiatives were the creation and expansion of the now globally recognized KO Drugs campaign, the organization of training seminars for referees and judges to improve championship officiating, and structural reforms within the WBA itself.
He also promoted the establishment of several regional boxing bodies, including:
• the North American Boxing Association (NABA)
• the Caribbean Boxing Federation (FEDECARIBE)
• the Pan African Boxing Association (PAFBA)
• FEDECENTRO
• the Bolivarian Boxing Federation (FEDEBOL)
Additionally, he introduced the concept of Super Champions for fighters who successfully defended their titles five times and oversaw the creation of interim championships, among many other ideas that helped shape the modern structure of world boxing.
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Beyond the Ring
Outside the sport, Mendoza also built a distinguished professional career. After graduating from university, he served as a senior executive and administrative advisor at the Central Azucarero El Palmar sugar mill in Turmero, Aragua, Venezuela.
Driven by a deep commitment to community service, he also founded the Yaritagua Fire Department in his home country.
His public service included roles such as president of the Venezuelan Scout Association in 1979, member of the Legislative Assembly of Aragua state (1995–1998), director of the National Economic Council (1998–1999), and director of Fedecámaras from 1995 to 2001.
He also served as honorary president of the Boxing Information Center.
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Honors and Recognition
Over the years, Mendoza received numerous honors for his work in boxing and public service, including the Order of Francisco de Miranda (First Class), the Brígido Iriarte Order (First Class), and the Samán de Güere Order of Aragua.
He also received distinctions from several countries, including Panama, Nicaragua, Ukraine, Mongolia, the United States, and Italy.
On the first anniversary of his passing, the Municipal Council of Santiago Mariño in Aragua awarded him a civic honor named after the Venezuelan independence hero, which was received by his widow, Elena de Mendoza.
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A Young Man from Barquisimeto
Mendoza was born on March 30, 1943, in Barquisimeto, Lara State, Venezuela. From an early age he was passionate about sports, excelling in both soccer and baseball to the point of representing local teams from his home region.
As a teenager, while attending Lisandro Alvarado High School, he discovered boxing. From the humble neighborhood of Caja de Agua, where he lived, he began training at the Pantera Negra Gym, where the trainer who gave the facility its name introduced him to the fundamentals of the sport—the classic principle of “hit and don’t get hit.”
As an amateur boxer competing in the bantamweight, featherweight, and lightweight divisions, he fought 17 bouts and suffered just one defeat, reportedly against lightweight Antonio “Chilano” Hernández.
Despite his dedication to boxing, he also maintained a strong passion for soccer and dreamed of one day becoming as great on the field as his idol, Argentine legend Alfredo Di Stéfano.
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The Beginning of His Boxing Career as an Administrator
In the 1970s, already a university professional, Mendoza became friends with Alberto Sarmiento, another respected WBA figure who would later serve for years as the organization’s treasurer.
Through those connections, Mendoza joined the board of the Aragua Boxing Commission as treasurer. That role eventually led him to meet Rodrigo Sánchez Colón, the Panamanian leader he would later succeed as WBA president.
Years later, after completing postgraduate studies in Toledo, Mendoza arrived at the 1982 convention in San Juan already considered the natural successor to Sánchez Colón.
His opponent in that election was American official Robert “Bobby” Lee, who ultimately proved less formidable than anticipated during what was at times a turbulent convention marked by competing interests seeking to block Mendoza’s rise.
Those efforts failed.
When the votes were counted, the assembly hall erupted in celebration, with delegates chanting in unison:
“Gilberto! Gilberto! Gilberto!”
More than 33 years later, Mendoza stepped down from his duties due to the illness that would ultimately claim his life.
Yet a decade after his passing, his legacy continues to shape the sport he devoted his life to.
