Top boxers feted tonight in Elorde Awards

Twenty-one international champions, led by boxing great Manny Pacquiao, and 15 national titleholders will receive the highest honor in professional boxing tonight during the seventh Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Boxing Awards and Banquet of Champions at the grand ballroom of the Elorde Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque.

The Elorde clan, led by the boxing legend’s wife Laura Elorde, will confer the boxing awards along with former President Fidel V. Ramos, the guest of honor and speaker, during the formal rites starting at 6 p.m.

Pacquiao, who is in the United States training for his forthcoming bout, is receiving his sixth consecutive Boxer of the Year Award, one year short of the seven required for him to be enshrined in the Elorde Boxing Hall of Fame.

Boxing Hall of Famer Ismael Laguna of Panama, 64, a former two-time world champion, will be the recipient of the Memorial Trophy, a special award given to a former opponent of Da Flash, in whose honor the annual awards are given.

Elorde, junior lightweight champion from 1960-67, is the second Filipino, after Pancho Villa, to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for international boxing. The awards coincide with the 72nd birth anniversary of Da Flash.

The event is sponsored by Pagcor, Family Rubbing Alcohol, Traumeel S. Ointment, Elorde Summit Gym, Elorde Gym West, Elorde Gym Sucat, Elorde Gym Iloilo, Bai & Mig Party Favors and Ringside Coffee Corner.

Also to be given awards are Sammy Gello-Ani (best promoter), Antonio Aldeguer (best manager), Silvestre Abainza (best referee), Ferdinand Estrella (best judge), Edito "Ala" Villamor (best trainer), Eden Sonsona (most promising boxer) and VinVin Rufino-Jeffrey Onate for the RP featherweight championship (best fight).

The honor rolls include former Oriental champions William Develos and Raffy Montalban. To receive special awards are Parañaque Mayor Florencio Bernabe, Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) president Frank Quill, WBO vice president for Asia Pacific Leon Panoncillo, international boxing journalist Jason Aniel, international referee Bruce McTavish, boxing manager and sportscaster Hermie Rivera.

Citations will also be given to the Games and Amusement Board headed by Eric Buhain and commissioner Angel Bautista and Alex Paglomotan, Springboard Foundation president Annete Helbig, Philippine Sportswriters Association, Solar Sports TV, and Rotary Club of Parañaque Sucat.