Ricardo Fortaleza

Ricardo Mendoza Fortaleza (Born April 18, 1951 in Malate, Manila, Philippines) is a Filipino-Australian retired Olympic amateur boxer/amateur boxing coach and boxing instructor. He now resides in Blacktown, Sydney, Australia.

Early career

Ricardo fought in the bantamweight division. He has won a gold medal in Tokyo, Japan in 1969 at the first Asian youth championships. He has won the only gold medal in Amateur Boxing for the Philippines in the 6th Asian Games in Bangkok and a silver medal finish in the 1971 Asian Boxing Championship in Tehran. Ricardo was Philippine National Games champion in 1969-1974 and Manila Golden Gloves champion in 1965-1967.

The Fortaleza brothers

Ricardo was one of the four famous Fortaleza brothers in the Philippines, they were all famous in the sport of Boxing. The four consisted of Ricardo "Ric", Reynaldo "Rey", Renato "Rene" and Rogelio "Roger". Although Ric was the most successful of the four, Rey, Rene and Roger did have great achievements too.

Olympic career

Ricardo also represented Philippines in the 1972 Munich Olympics. But failed to achieve any medals, although reaching the Olympics was a great achievement in itself.

emi-retirement, boxing coach/instructor

Together with his younger brother Renato, they bade amateur boxing goodbye after topping the 1974 tryouts for the seventh Asian Games in Tehran. He eventually became the Philippines boxing team coach from 1976 to 1993.

Philippine team

Ricardo led the Philippine team at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, the President's Cup in Jakarta, the King's Cup in Bangkok, the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore, the second World Boxing championships in Belgrade, the Asian Games in Bangkok, the Inter-Cup tournament in Schriesheim (Germany), the Acropolis Cup in Athens and several other international tournaments.

Oman team

Ricardo also got assigned to train boxers from different parts of the world. He helped introduced the sport of Amateur Boxing in Oman, he was assigned at the Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex. He coached the Oman boxing team in 1986-1990 and led the team to the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea.

Taiwan team

He was also boxing coach at Taipei College of Physical Education in Taiwan.

Pre-Australia

Ricardo attended more than 10 seminars and conferences on amateur boxing in different parts of the world and worked as staff and consultants in several Philippine Government Organizations.

ydney Olympics 2000

Ricardo migrated with his family in Australia in early 2000s. He also volunteered in the Sydney Olympic games in boxing tournaments.

Personal life

Ricardo is actually one of twelve kids, two of which died at birth, he is the third oldest. His father Raymundo Fortaleza and mother Lorenza Fortaleza had a hard time taking care of ten kids at a time.

Ricardo has a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a major in Physical Education. He also took up Electrical Engineering at Far Eastern University in Manila.

He is currently married to his childhood lover and now wife for 32 years, Elisa Fortaleza. They have three beautiful children, Richelle, Cherille and Eric.

Ricardo's father, Raymundo died of emphysema and his brother, Renato died of bone cancer.

Ricardo would want to go back to the boxing business, but the effects of time and age has taken its toll. He still heavies himself in every boxing activity he can.

Ricardo currently teaches boxing at Blacktown, PCYC.

Miscellaneous

* Ricardo is also a great fan of the game of rugby league.
* Ricardo is a very religious man.
* Eric, Ricardo's only son, his name comes from a combination of Ricardo's name and his wife Elisa, E-Ric.
* Ricardo's favourite song is "My Love Will See You Through".
* Ricardo loves to sing.
* Ricardo's dad Raymundo died on Christmas morning of 2004

Championships and accomplishments

* Gold medal - 1st Asian Youth Amateur Boxing Tournament- Tokyo Japan
* Gold medal - 6th Asian Games - Bangkok Thailand
* Silver medal - 1971 Asian Boxing Champhionship - Theran Iran
* olympian - 1972 Munich Olympics
* Philippine's Amateur Boxer of the year - 1970, 1971 and 1972
* Araullo High School's Most Outstanding Alumnus in Sports in 1993