Pacquiao elevated to Elorde Hall of Fame

Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao will be elevated to the Elorde Boxing Hall of Fame, the highest honor awarded to a Filipino champion, during the 2007 eighth Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Boxing Awards Night slated March 25.

The Hall of Fame induction will be the highlight of the Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Banquet of Champions where, for the first time, the Elorde clan will honor four other world champions as boxers of the year. Pacquiao, the most popular boxer of his generation, is the first boxing champion to be inducted into the Elorde Hall of Fame, having received the boxer-of-the-year award for seven consecutive years.

“This award is certainly a unique honor since it’s given to a boxer who has been a recipient of the Elorde boxer of the year award for seven years, just like Da Flash, who was world champion for seven years,” said Laura Elorde.

Elorde became the world’s longest-reigning junior lightweight champion, having held the crown from 1960-67.

The extraordinary feat, which made him one of the world’s greatest boxers of all time, earned him a niche in the International Boxing Hall of Fame – the first Filipino to be honored after pre-war legend Pancho Villa.

The other boxer-of-the-year awardees for 2007 are International Boxing Federation flyweight champion Nonito Donaire, World Boxing Organization bantamweight titleholder Gerry Peñalosa, IBF minimumweight titlist Florante Condes and WBO minimum-weight king Donnie Nietes.

“This year is special because it’s the first time that we are honoring so many boxer-of the-year awardees, and it’s a great honor to have all of them together in the Elorde Banquet of Champions,” said Laura Elorde.

The Elorde Awards, organized by the Elorde Foundation, was initiated by Flash Elorde’s son Johnny and his wife Liza eight years ago to give recognition to Filipino professional boxers who gave international honor to their country.

The Elorde Awards Night has been held annually ever since – on March 25 to coincide with the birth anniversary of the champ.

The Elorde Awards also gives recognition to outstanding Philippine champions, as well as the best promoter, best manager, best trainer, best fight, most promising boxer and others who helped in the development of Philippine boxing.

Liza Elorde said a big boxing event will be staged during the Awards Night to spice up the affair. It will feature championship fights plus the fight of Da Flash’s grandson, Bai, who is undefeated in his six fights.

“There will be limited seats available for this special event which is sponsored by the Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corporation. (Pagcor),” Liza said.

She said corporate tables will be on sale which will include the dinner and priority seats during the awards night and boxing bouts plus a chance to have autographs and pictures taken with the champions.

Venue will be announced soon. For more info, call up 8264463, 8250625 or email [email protected].