Pacquiao Boxer of the Year anew

Reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-bantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao has been conferred again the Boxer of the Year title in the coming Elorde Awards Night Banquet of Champions.

The 23-year-old Pacquiao won for the second straight season the major award in the annual rite honoring the late great Gabriel "Flash" Elorde following two successful title defense in 2002, including his impressive second-rond demolition of Jorge Julio in Memphis, Tennessee as the major undercard of the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson heavyweight showdown.

Malcolm Tunacao was the first and so far only boxer other than Pacquiao to win the Boxer of the Year title during its inaugural in 2001.

Pacquiao is just one of the 33 local boxers who will be feted in the March 25 event at the Manila Peninsula Hotel, which coincides with the 68th birthday of the late Filipino boxing legend.

Other major awards to be conferred are the Fight of the Year, Matchmaker of the Year, Promoter of the Year, Trainer of the Year, Judge of the Year and Referee of the Year.

To make the third edition of the awards night more interesting, Lisa Elorde, daughter-in-law of the man regarded as the country’s best boxer of all time, bared that they’ve began inviting past opponents of Elorde starting with Japanese Shegeki Kaneko.

"As part of the award night, we’re made it a point to bring in past opponents of Daddy (Elorde) beginning with Kaneko, who will be awarded the Gabriel Flash Elorde Memorial Trophy," said Lisa Elorde in the PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn hotel yesterday.

Kaneko, according to Johnny Elorde, son of the Flash, was never beaten by his father in all four fights held in Japan.

Johnny, along with brothers Bebot and Marty as well as Laura Elorde, wife of the boxing legend, will be on hand to present the awards.

Elorde reigned as a junior lightweight champion from 1960-67, the longest title reign by any Filipino world titlist.

He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.