Page 162 - May 2018 - December 2018 Issue

Remembering Great

Filipino Fighters

By Jonah Pereyra, Human Resources
and Administration

Better known by his monikers “Pac Man” and “The
Destroyer”, Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, made
boxing a national obsession in the Philippines. But
before his time two Filipino boxers have also set
records in the world of boxing.

GABRIEL “FLASH” ELORDE (March 22,1935-January 2,
1985)

One of the greatest fighters to ever come out of the
Asia-Pacific region, every year from 1952 to 1967 Elorde
was involved in a national, regional or world title bout.
Elorde, who turned pro in 1951 at age 16, had his first 11
fights in his hometown of Cebu, Philippines, winning
10 and suffering one kayo loss. His quest for success at
higher weights finally bore fruit in 1954. After dropping
another 12-round nod, this time to Shigeji Kaneko, for
the Oriental 126-pound belt, he beat Tommy Romulo
in Manila to win the Philippines junior lightweight
crown.

Despite losing the national title in 1955, he surprised
everyone when he outpointed reigning featherweight
king Sandy Saddler over 10 rounds in a non-title fight
in Manila. Although Elorde didn’t get another title shot
for the rest of the decade, he remained a ranked
contender and eventually won national and regional
titles as a lightweight.

In March 1960, he won the world junior lightweight
title with a seventh-round stoppage of Harold Gomes
in Quezon City, in the Phillipines. Over the next eight
years he had the most prolific reign at the weight. He
had 10 successful defenses and twice pushed Carloz
Ortiz to the 14th round in a bid to win the lightweight
belt from the future Hall-of-Famer.

Elorde’s fall began in June of 1966 when he lost the
Oriental lightweight title to Yoshiaki Numata via
12-round verdict. A year later, Numata relieved Elorde
of the world 130-pound crown with a 15-round points
verdict. Elorde fought and lost his next fight. He was
inactive for a year-and-half before resuming his career,
but retired for good after winning just six of 10 bouts.
Elorde died on January 2, 1985 due to lung cancer and
left his wife, Laura Elorde and his 7 children. He was 49.

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