Elorde fetes 2016 champs
Boxing champions Marlon Tapales, Johnriel Casimero, and Jerwin Ancajas lead the awardees who will be feted tonight in the 17th Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Awards and Banquet of Champions at The Tent of the Manila Hotel.
The trio, who will be awarded as Boxers of the Year, will join 14 Philippine boxing champions, as well as 43 regional and international titleholders in the event promoted by Johnny Elorde Management International in cooperation with Cobra, Omega Pain Killer, the Elorde Sports Center, Southpaw Bar & Grill, and Hapee Toothpaste.
Tapales is the new WBO bantamweight champion, Casimero is the IBF flyweight winner, and Ancajas is the IBF super flyweight titleholder.
The awardees, all standouts in 2016, will occupy an honored place in the Boxing Awards and Banquet of Champions held in memory of world and international Hall of Fame Flash Elorde.
Awards of Distinction will also be given to eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao and undefeated three-division champion Donnie Nietes.
The award is conferred for the first time to Pacquiao and Nites, who continue as world champions after being inducted into the Elorde Hall of Fame.
Also highlighting the evening is the casting of the fists of current and former world champions.
The awards rites will start promptly after the preliminary boxing bouts dubbed “Boxing Kontra Droga” featuring the WBC international minimum weight championship between Jay Loto of Johnny Elorde Stable and Lito Dante of the Vilma Verbo Stable. Supporting bout will feature WBC Intl Champion Jonathan Taconing versus Indonesian Faris Nggenggo.
Laura Elorde, wife of Flash Elorde, will deliver the welcome address, while Abraham Khalil Mitra, chairman of the Games and Amusements Board, will deliver the opening remarks. Guest of Honor and Speaker will be Senator Manny Pacquiao.
Masters of ceremony are Liza Vicencio Elorde and Ted Lerner.