Elorde Awards to fete ’03 top boxers

International People’s featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao and other Filipino International title holders whose stirring victories created huge impact in Philippine sports in 2003 will receive the ultimate award in Philippine pro boxing during the Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Awards set March 25 at the Dusit Hotel in Makati.

The formal ceremonies, dubbed the Flash Elorde "Banquet of Champions," will be staged during the 69th birth anniversary of Da Flash, the first Filipino to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

"Of all sports, boxing created the biggest stir in 2003, and the win of Manny Pacquiao, for one, was the biggest sports story of the year," said his son, promoter Johnny Elorde, who is overseeing the preparations for this big event.

"The Elorde Banquet of Champions will be a celebration of Pacquiao’s singular achievement and the great successes of other Filipinos in the world of boxing," he added.

The Awards Night is held for the fourth straight year by the Elorde family in memory of the late "Flash," the world’s greatest in the junior lightweight division, which he ruled for seven years from 1960 to 1967.

In 1993, Elorde was among the first batch of honorees inducted into the International Hall of Fame. With him were Marvelous Marvin Hagler, Joey Giardello, Harold Johnson and Fritzie Zivic and old timers Maxie Rosenbloom, Tommy Gibbons, Tiger Flowers and Les Darcy.

"It has now become a tradition of the family of Flash Elorde to stage the Elorde Awards to honor world and national champions in his memory," said the young Elorde.

"If my father were alive today, he would be on stage to personally present the highest award to those who ruled after him."

Mrs. Laura Elorde, wife of Da Flash, and her sons Johnny, Bebot and Marty will be on hand to present the awards.

The Flash Elorde Awards’ highest honor will be conferred on the Boxer of the Year, while major awards will be handed to the best trainer, best judge, best referee, best fight of the year and most popular and exciting fighter.

Special awards and citations will also be given to boxers and local and international boxing personalities who have made significant contributions to Philippine professional boxing as well as to outstanding professional boxers who passed away in 2003.