MANILA, 7 March 2003 — Reigning International Boxing Federation (IBF) super-bantamweight champion Manny Pacquiao has been conferred again the Boxer of the Year title in the coming Elorde Awards Night Banquet of Champions.
The 23-year-old Pacquiao won for the second straight season the major award in the annual rite honoring the late great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde following two successful title defense in 2002, including his impressive second-round demolition of Jorge Julio in Memphis, Tennessee, as the major undercard of the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson heavyweight showdown.
Malcolm Tunacao was the first and so far the only boxer other than Pacquiao to win the Boxer of the Year title during its inaugural in 2001. Pacquiao is just one of the 33 local boxers who will be feted in the March 25 event at the Manila Peninsula Hotel, which coincides with the 68th birthday of the late Filipino boxing legend.
Other major awards to be conferred are the Fight of the Year, Matchmaker of the Year, Promoter of the Year, Trainer of the Year, Judge of the Year and Referee of the Year. To make the third edition of the awards night more interesting, Lisa Elorde, daughter-in-law of the man regarded as the country’s best boxer of all time, bared that they’ve began inviting past opponents of Elorde starting with Japanese Shegeki Kaneko.
“As part of the award night, we’re made it a point to bring in past opponents of Daddy (Elorde) beginning with Kaneko, who will be awarded the Gabriel Flash Elorde Memorial Trophy,” said Lisa Elorde in the PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn hotel.
Kaneko, according to Johnny Elorde, son of the Flash, was never beaten by his father in all four fights held in Japan.
POC Appoints Puyat Adviser for IF Affairs
Sportsman Gonzalo “Lito” Puyat II has earned another important position when he was recently appointed by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) as adviser for international federation (IF) affairs.
Puyat, whose appointment was unanimously approved by the Executive Board, will serve as the POC’s link to the IFs, specially those which count national sports associations among their members.
“He’s the best man for the position, having been president of the Fiba (International Basketball Federation) for two terms (1976 to 1984) and being a well-known figure in Asian basketball,” POC president Celso Dayrit said of Puyat.
Start 2005 SEAG Preparations Early, Dayrit Asks NSAs
Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Celso Dayrit has urged National Sports Associations to start preparations as early as this year so as to ensure a successful campaign when the country hosts the 2005 Southeast Asian Games in Manila.
“It’s not too early to prepare for the 2005 SEAG,” Dayrit said. “We should start as early as now by using this year’s SEAG in Hanoi, Vietnam as stepping stone or training ground for our athletes who have the potential to win gold medals in 2005.
“You can’t develop a champion overnight nor in a matter of year, you have to start now because 2005 is just around the corner,” added the fencing chief.
Dayrit also clarified that just because the guidelines serve two purposes — this year’s Hanoi SEAG and the 2005 Manila edition — it does not mean that the technical commission should be lax in the selection of athletes participating in Hanoi.
Filipino Netters Long Shots for SEAG Gold
Philippine Tennis Association (Philta) president Salvador “Buddy” Andrada said there is little chance the country can win a gold medal in the 22nd Southeast Asian Games scheduled Dec. 5-13 in Hanoi, Vietnam. Andrada also said the most the country can win is a silver medal with the powerhouse Thailand team, led by world campaigner Paradorn Srichapan and Tamarine Tanasugarn, expected to dominate the event.
“We’re not downplaying our chances. We’re just being realistic here,” said Andrada in the weekly PSA Forum at the Holiday Inn. “It will be nearly impossible to beat world-class players like Paradorn and Tamarine. Considering that we will be more than happy to go home with a silver medal,” added Adrada, whose remark was in deep contrast to forecasts made in karatedo and chess, both expecting to harvest four of five gold medals in Hanoi.
Palawan to Stage RP Open Boxing
The nationwide search for new talents gets a big lift next month when the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) holds its National Open Boxing Championships for men and women in Palawan. The tournament, expected to attract all the boxing clubs in the country, is set April 6-12 in Puerto Princessa City with no less than Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes hosting the event. ABAP secretary-general Renato Fortaleza said those eligible to participate in the event which will hold competitions in nine weight classes are men and women boxers between 16 and 23 years of age or those born between April 13, 1980 and April 13, 1987.
RP Jins Win 5 Golds in US Tilt
A group of young Filipino jins came home recently bringing with them five gold medals, three silver and four bronze medals won in the 12th edition of the US National Open and World Taekwondo Festival held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Two of the six gold medalists — Paolo Angeles and Rochelle Lavalan — were products of the Manila Sports Council who saw action in only their second international competitions. Both Angeles, who topped the bantamweight division in the 12-under class, and Lavalan, winner of the finweight class of the 14-17 age-bracket, came out unbeaten in sparring with the former sweeping all his seven assignments in convincing fashion with the latter sweeping all her three rivals.
UE, La Salle Grab Football Crowns
University of the East (UE) completed a Cinderella finish of sorts and bagged the men’s football crown, while De La Salle achieved what it missed last season and clinched the women’s title in the 2003 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).
The Red Booters turned an accidental goal that favored their foes right in the first minute into a boost they needed for the next 89 minutes and foiled the repeat bid of University of the Philippines (UP), 2-1.
The crown was UE’s fourth in UAAP men’s football to go with those it won decades ago — back-to-back in 1961 and 1962 and the last in 1969.
