2013 champs to be honored in Elorde rites

MANILA, Philippines - Four world champions, 41 international titleholders and 12 Philippine champs will be conferred professional boxing’s highest accolade in the 14th Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Awards and Banquet of Champions tomorrow at the Harbour Garden Tent of the Sofitel Hotel. 

The Class of 2013, which includes comebacking Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire, will be headed by WBO light flyweight champion Donnie Nietes, IBF light flyweight king Johnriel Casimero and WBO minimum weight titlist Merlito Sabillo, including international champions from the major boxing organizations, and former world champions who will be acknowledged in the country’s biggest assembly of current and former champions.

The annual event is held in honor of The Flash, the first Filipino to be inducted into the International Hall of Fame for his seven-year uninterrupted reign as world junior lightweight champion from 1960. It will also commemorate the 79th birth anniversary of the Filipino legend.

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will be the guest of honor and speaker in the rites which start at 5 p.m. with six exciting matches before the awarding ceremonies. The card will feature the vacant Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) lightflyweight championship between Jonathan Taconing and Vergilio Silvano and the Philippine bantamweight fight between Monico Laurente and Jethro Pabustan. Elorde’s grandson Juan Miguel Elorde will also see action vs Indonesian Budi Risky plus a pair of four-rounders and one six-rounder to spice up the evening.

Laura Elorde, wife of the late Elorde, will make the welcome address, with Games and Amusements Board chairman Juan Ramon Guanzon to deliver the opening remarks.

Masters of ceremony are Liza Vicencio Elorde and Ted Lerner.

Also to receive an Award of Distinction is Bruce McTavish (international referee), Posthumous awards will be given to WBC president Jose Sulaiman and boxing promoter Ramon “Moy” Lainez. 

The top honorees are Michael Aldeguer (best promoter), Silvestre Abainza (best referee), Danrex Tapdasan (best judge) and Edmund Villamor (best trainer). 

The OPBF superflyweight championship bout between Arthur Villanueva and Marco Demencillo on April 20, 2013 will be cited as the best fight of the year, while Genesis Servania, the WBO Asia-Pacific/WBO international super bantamweight champion, will receive a special award as most promising boxer.

In the amateur division, the awardees are Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Josie Gabuco and World Series boxing champion Mark Anthony Barriga.