Elorde grandsons vie for WBO titles

MANILA, Philippines - Bai and Mig Elorde, grandsons of the boxing legend, resume their journey to the world stage when they fight separate rivals in a couple of title bouts serving as prelude to the Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Awards and Banquet of Champions on March 25 at the Manila Hotel.

The awards rites are presented by Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp., Cobra, Hapee Toothpaste, Contour Rehabilitation and Wellness Inc., Rotary Club Manila 101 and Elorde Gyms.

Juan Martin “Bai” Elorde, 30, fights Hirotsugu Yamamoto of Japan for his second title defense of the WBO Asia-Pacific superfeatherweight crown, while younger Juan Miguel “The Boss” Elorde, 28, battles tough Thai fighter Tabthong Tor Buamas for the vacant WBO Asia Pacific Jr. featherweight belt.

In the accompanying bouts, VinVin Rufino goes up against Mark Gil Melligen for the OPBF featherweight crown.

A Philippine bantamweight championship between Monico Laurente and Marco Demecillo Singwangcha caps the quadruple championship.

The bouts start at 3: 30 p.m. before the main program at 7 p.m. where top Filipino boxers, led by Hall of Fame inductees Donnie Nietes and Nonito Donaire and Boxer of the Year awardees Randy Petalcorin and Rey Loreto will be honored in rites hosted by the Elorde clan and coinciding with the 30th death anniversary and 80th birth anniversary of Da Flash.

Nietes, the WBO light flyweight champion, and Donaire, the 2014 WBA super featherweight champion before his loss to Nickolas Walters, will be elevated to the Elorde Boxing Hall of Fame for their achievement as Elorde Boxer of the Year honorees for seven consecutive years from 2007.

Seven years has become the yardstick for induction to the Elorde Hall of Fame, parallel to the seven-year world junior lightweight reign of Flash Elorde from 1960-67.

Thirty-six international champions and 13 Philippine title holders will also take center stage and join the Banquet of Champions, an assembly of past and present champions led by boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

Others to be awarded are Michael Aldeguer (best promoter), Danrex Tapdasan (best referee), Silvestre Abainza (best judge) and Edmund Villamor (best trainer).

A special award will be presented to former Japan and OPBF champion Hitoshi Misako.

WBO vice president Leon Panoncillo, international boxing promoter Naris Singwangcha, Contour Splinting, Manila Hotel and PhilBoxing.com will receive citations.

Others to be honored are JR Magboo and Vergil Puton (best fight of the year), IBF international super bantamweight champion Albert Pagara (most promising boxer) and amateur boxers Charly Suarez and Nesthy Petecio.

Anthony Villanueva, 1964 Olympic silver medalist who passed away last year, will be honored posthumously.

For details on tickets please call 8250625, 8264463 and 09172504156.