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Saturday, April 05, 2003
Oyson: Tributes to ‘Flash‘ Elorde
By Manuel N. Oyson Jr.
Counter punch
The legendary Gabriel Elorde would have been 68-years-old last March 22. He was born in Bogo, Cebu. He died of cancer of the throat on Jan. 2, 1985.
He was given a special tribute during the 3rd Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Boxing Awards “Banquet of Champions” at the Manila Hotel. The “Flash” was regarded as the greatest Filipino boxer of all time. He had 19 world title defenses in a span of six years, according to the Hamlyn Encyclopedia of Boxing.
After him came Rene Barrientos, Pedro Adigue, Roberto Cruz, Erbito Salavarria, Frank Cedeño, Bernabe Villacampo, Rolando Navarrete, Ben Villaflor, Rolando Navarrete, Dodie Boy Peñalosa, Tacy Macalos, Eric Chavez, Rolando Pascua, Luisito Espinosa, Rolando Bohol, Gerry Peñalosa, Malcolm Tuñacao, Manny Pacquiao and others. An item by Ronnie Nathanielsz in the Manila Standard Sports of March 27 caught my attention, however.
ERRED. The TV analyst noted that among the honorees who attended the affair was former Oriental lightweight champion Shigeji Kaneko, now 72.
However, he erred when he described Kaneko as “‘the only fighter to beat Elorde four times.” He called the Japanese the “Rocky Marciano of the Orient.” That particular item sent me scanning the 1980 edition of Ring Magazine’s Boxing Encyclopedia. The encyclopedia writes that Elorde and Kaneko fought only three times.
All fights were held in Tokyo, with Elorde losing all of them by decision. The two met for the first time on June 29, 1953 for the Oriental featherweight crown. They faced off again for 10 rounds on Oct. 3, 1955. In their third and final encounter on Sept. 24, Kaneko won again by decision. Elorde would not become a world junior lightweight champion until March 16, 1960 in Quezon City when he knocked out Harold Gomes in seven rounds.
Kaneko was not the only Japanese who met Elorde three times in the ring.
KOSAKA, TOO. He also faced Teruo Kosaka three times when he was already a world titleholder, while keeping the Oriental lightweight crown at the same time. Kosaka wrested the Orient title from Elorde in 10 rounds in Tokyo on April 30, 1962. Three months later on Aug. 4, Elorde would regain the Orient title with a fierce 12-round win as the Cebu Coliseum first opened its doors.
Kosaka eventually took a crack at Elorde’s world crown. The Filipino knocked out the challenger in the 12th round on July 27, 1964 in Tokyo. In 1971, the Games and Amusements Board finally retired him at age 37, six years after losing his world crown to Yohiaki Numata in 15 rounds on June 15, 1965. Elorde was elevated to the Cebu Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.
AT 16. Hamlyn’s Encyclopedia notes that Elorde fought 115 bouts in his career – winning 88 and losing 25. Others were draws. However, Ring Boxing Encyclopedia records his number of fights at 109, winning 81 and losing 25. The others were draws. He had his first fight when he was still 16-years-old, knocking out Kid Gonzaga in four rounds in Cebu City on June 16, 1951. The late Kid Independence was the only Filipino to ever knock him out – on Oct. 31,1951.
When he was still a bantam, he defeated Tanny Campo twice, the second time for the RP bantam title, on July 26, 1952. Campo is also a member of the Cebu Sports Hall of Fame.
Sportsman Rudy Salud paid him tribute when the latter described Elorde as the “cause of the golden years of Philippine boxing and inspired Filipino boxers to excel. His erstwhile tormentor, Kaneko, called him one of the greatest fighters he ever met because he moved well in the ring.”
QUOTE OF THE DAY: “(Elorde) exemplified courage in his era and inspired others by the courage and determination he showed in the ring.” – Rudy Salud
(April 5, 2003 issue)
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