Champs honored in Elorde Awards

International Boxing Federation superbantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao will lead the cast of heroes and lords of the ring who will be honored for their exploits in 2001 in the second edition of the Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Boxing Awards March 25 at the Hotel Intercontinental.

Pacquiao, who retained his title with a technical split draw with South American Agapito Sanchez last November, emerged as the strongest international champion from the Philippines to earn the Boxer of the Year Award, the highest honor accorded by the prestigious Elorde Boxing Awards.

The Elorde Boxing Awards is an annual event launched last year and held annually by the clan of the late Elorde, one of only two Filipinos enshrined in the International Boxing Hall of Fame and in whose memory boxing’s greatest accolade is awarded.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has been invited to present the Boxer of the Year award.

Johnny Elorde, son of Da Flash and who is handling preparations for the event, said major awards will also be given to other reigning international and Philippine champions and outstanding boxing personalities — best trainer, best judge, best referee, best matchmaker – as well as to the best fight and the most popular and exciting fighter of the year.

Also to be given citations and special awards during the Elorde Banquet of Champions are boxing personalities who have contributed to the development of professional boxing in the Philippines.

"This is our way of giving recognition to these outstanding men in boxing who have given honor to our country," the young Elorde said.

The traditional Elorde Boxing Awards Night-Banquet of Champions will coincide with the birth anniversary of Da Flash, the greatest Filipino boxer in the Post-War era. Elorde captured the world junior lightweight crown over Harold Gomes in 1960, and successfully defended his title for unprecedented 10 times in a seven-year span.

Since the Hall was established in 1990, only four Asians have been enshrined among 226 honorees. They were Flash Elorde, Khaosai Galaxy, and Fighting Harada in the modern division and Pancho Villa in the oldtimer category. Significantly, two were Filipinos – Elorde, the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion ever, and Villa, the first Asian world titlist.

Elorde was the first Asian to be inducted — in 1993. Villa came next in 1994 then Harada in 1995 and Galaxy in 1999.

Harada, a Japanese buzzsaw, was the first fighter to capture both the world flyweight and bantamweight titles. Galaxy held the World Boxing Association (WBA) junior bantamweight crown for seven years and logged 19 successful defenses before retiring in 1991.