MANILA, Philippines - Two grandsons of boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde will stake their unbeaten slates against separate opponents in a special presentation during the 10th Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards-Banquet of Champions on March 25 at the Harbour Tent of the Sofitel Hotel.
Juan Miguel “Mig” Elorde, 23, who has a record of 6-0 with one KO, will compete at 121 lbs. in a six-rounder while his elder brother, 25-year-old Juan Martin “Bai” Elorde (9-0 with 2 KOs), will fight a Thai at 132 lbs. in an eight-rounder.
The special presentation will be held before the main program of the Flash Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards, which will honor the top world, international and Philippine boxers as well as boxing personalities who had contributed to professional boxing in the past year.
Bai was a former gold medalist in the Palarong Pambansa and was a national amateur boxer before he turned pro.
Both boxers, sons of Johnny and Liza Elorde, graduated with a degree in hotel, restaurant and institution management, with Mig majoring in culinary arts.
World pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao, who will receive the highest award as the Athlete of the Decade, is expected to be in Manila after his March 14 fight with Joshua Clottey in the US to witness the event.
He will also be the guest of honor and speaker during the awards rites which will also be held in memory of the 25th death anniversary and 75th birth anniversary of Da Flash and the 50th year since he started his reign as world junior lightweight champion in 1960.
“Manny and Bai (Elorde) share common milestones this year – Manny won seven titles in seven different divisions while Bai retained one division title in 10 straight defenses in seven years,” said the legend’s wife Laura.
Both Elorde and Pacquiao were the only post-war Filipino boxers to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The first was 1922-25 world champion Pancho Villa.
Pacquiao will be joined by 2009 world champions Donnie Nietes (WBO strawweight), Brian Viloria (IBF lightflyweight), Nonito Donaire, (IBF flyweight), Marvin Sonsona (WBO flyweight), Gerry Peñalosa (WBO bantamweight) and Rodel Mayol (WBC light flyweight), who will receive awards as boxers of the year.
Also to be honored in the Banquet of Champions as major awardees are a record 38 world and intercontinental champions in the strawweight (5), light flyweight (8), flyweight (7), super flyweight (1), bantamweight (8), featherweight (5), super featherweight (1), lightweight (2), and lone woman world champion Gretchen Abaniel (WBA minimumweight).
Also to be cited are 15 2009 Philippine champions.
The Elorde Memorial Awards, the highest honor in Philippine boxing, is presented by the Elorde Sports Foundation in cooperation with Johnny Elorde Sports Management, Elorde Boxing Gyms, Southpaw Bar and Grill and sponsored by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, Philippine Amusements and Gaming Corp., Manila Sofitel Hotel, Smart, Alaxan and Tanduay.