MANILA, Philippines - Three world champions who defended their titles on separate occasions last year emerged as the Boxers of the Year who will be honored during the 2008 Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Annual Memorial Awards on March 25 at the Manila Hotel Tent City.
The year’s top boxers are International Boxing Federation flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, World Boxing Organization bantamweight titlist Gerry Peñalosa and WBO minimumweight title holder Donnie Nietes.
The three will receive boxing’s highest accolade alongside boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao, who will be honored this year as the World’s Best Pound-for-Pound Boxer.
Pacquiao, who was elevated to the Elorde Boxing Hall of Fame in 2007, and the three boxers of the year will lead international and national champions in the Awards Night and Banquet of Champions, held during the 74th birth anniversary of Flash Elorde, the world’s longest reigning junior lightweight champion (1960-67).
Despite an absence of almost a year, Donaire, who made headlines in 2007 with his win over unbeaten Australian Vic Darchinyan, retained his IBF flyweight title with a sixth round technical knockout of Moruti Mtahalane of South Africa in only his single fight for 2008.
Despite being a bit rusty during the 12-round title bout at the Mandalay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, the California-based Filipino still showed flashes of brilliance to boost his record to 20-1-0 with 13 knockouts.
At age 36, Peñalosa showed he was not over the hill as he retained his WBO title with an eighth-round stoppage of Thai Ratanachai Sor Vorapin on April 6 last year at the Araneta Coliseum. He finished the year with a ring record of 53-6-win-loss record with 36 knockouts.
Nietes, 28, from Murcia, Bacolod, was also inactive for 11 months before he finally successfully defended his title against Nicaraguan Eddy Castro on Aug. 30, 2008, winning by technical knockout in 2:44 of the second round.
Nietes defended his title for the second time last Feb. 28 with a unanimous decision over Mexican Erick Ramirez. The win improved his record to 23-3 with 13 knockouts. En route to the win, he sent Ramirez to the canvas four times in separate rounds.
The Elorde Annual Awards, now on its ninth year, honors world, international and national champions of the past year as well as the best boxing promoter, manager, trainer, best fight and individuals and institutions that helped promote Philippine professional boxing.
The annual awards, the most prestigious in Philippine boxing, is held by the Elorde clan, led by the late Elorde’s wife Laura, and Elorde Sports Foundation and sponsored by the Johnny Elorde International Management, Inc., Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Manila Hotel.