THE Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Boxing Awards Banquet of Champions returns for its 23rd edition on March 25 at the Okada Manila Grand Ballroom in Parañaque City.
The awards—which coincides with the birthday of the boxing legend who was world super featherweight champion for a record seven years—were held annually but was stymied in for three years beginning 2020 because of the pandemic.
Johnny Elorde, one of the boxing great Elorde’s seven children, said eight-division world champion, former Senator Manny Pacquiao, and four-weight division world champion Nonito Donaire Jr. would each receive Special Award of Distinction.
Their awards come despite the two boxing greats’ elevation to the Elorde Hall of Fame as both won the Boxer of the Year award for seven consecutive years.
“After three years, we are finally back to recognize the accomplishments of upcoming Filipino boxing stars and current world champions,” said Elorde, whose wife Liza was the event’s head organizer annually.
Seven will be named Boxers of the Year led by former International Boxing Federation (IBF) super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas (2019, 2020 and 2021), World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight king Johnriel Casimero (2019, 2020 and 2021), IBF minimum weight titleholder Pedro Taduran (2019 and 2020) and minimum weight titlist Rene Mark Cuarto (2021 and 2022).
Joining them are 2022 World Boxing Council featherweight champion Mark Magsayo, reigning International Boxing Organization flyweight champion Dave Apolinario and 2019 and 2021 WBO and World Boxing Association minimum weight champion Vic Saludar.
Tokyo Olympics silver medalists Carlo Paalam and Nesthy Petecio and bronze medalist Eumir Felix Marcial and the boxing medalists in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games will also be honored, according to Elore.
The other awards are Fight of the Year, Most Promising Boxer, Best Manager, Best Trainer, Best Referee, Special Awards to benefactors and boxing’s most influential people and best amateur fighters and the 23 Philippine champions and 62 world, international or regional champions.
The Elorde matriarch, “Flash’s” wife Laura, will also be honored posthumously. She passed away in May 2020 at the Elorde residence in Parañaque City.
The traditional domestic pro championship bouts will be held starting 3 p.m.