By Gabriel F. Cordero
Panamanian and world boxing are in mourning following the passing of former WBC and WBA lightweight world champion Ismael Laguna Meneses, “Tiger of Colón,” on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at the age of 83, after being hospitalized in Panama City.
Laguna was born in the province of Colón on June 28, 1943, and made his professional boxing debut in August 1960, facing opponents such as Fili Nava, Antonio Herrera, Angel Robinson Garcia, Vicente Saldivar, Carlos Ortiz, Nicolino Locche, Carlos Hernandez, Flash Elorde, Mando Ramos, Guts Ishimatsu, Ken Buchanan, and Chango Carmona, among others. He fought his last bout in July 1971 with a record of 65 wins (37 by knockout), 9 losses, and 1 draw. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York, in 2001.
Laguna cemented his legendary status after defeating the Puerto Rican boxer Carlos Ortiz by unanimous decision for the World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight world championships on April 10, 1965, at the iconic National Stadium. Juan Demóstenes Arosemena, and history records it as the first world championship fight held in Panama.
He was the idol who inspired Roberto “Hands of Stone” Durán to conquer the WBA lightweight world championship from the Scottish boxer Ken Buchanan, who had defeated Laguna. Durán then defeated Buchanan in June 1972 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Ismael Laguna will forever remain in the history of Panamanian sports and world boxing after an extraordinary career in the rings of Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, France, Mexico, the United States, Argentina, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, Jamaica, and Ecuador.
