Manny Santos | |
|---|---|
| Born | Manoel Santos 11 October 1940 Tonga |
| Died | 2 December 2013 (aged 73) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Nationality | Tongan/New Zealander |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | light/light welterweight |
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 44 |
| Wins | 32 (KO 14) |
| Losses | 9 (KO 1) |
| Draws | 3 |
Manoel "Manny" Santos (11 October 1940 – 2 December 2013) was a Tongan-born New Zealand professional light/light welterweight boxer of the 1960s and 1970s.
Santos was born in Tonga on 11 October 1940.[1] His father, also called Manoel Santos, had a Portuguese father and a Tongan mother, and served with the Māori Battalion during World War II. Santos Snr and his family emigrated from Tonga to Auckland, New Zealand, in 1957.[2]
Santos won the New Zealand Boxing Association lightweight title, the Australasian Light welterweight title, and the British Commonwealth lightweight title. He was a challenger for the Australasian lightweight title against Hector Thompson. His professional fighting weight varied from 133+1⁄4 lb (60.4 kg; 9 st 7.3 lb), i.e. lightweight, to 138+1⁄4 lb (62.7 kg; 9 st 12.3 lb), i.e. light welterweight.[1]
Santos died in Auckland on 2 December 2013, and was buried at Manukau Memorial Gardens.[3][4]