Pimentel guest in Elorde Awards

MANILA, Philippines - Sen. Aquilino Martin “Koko” Pimentel III will be the guest of honor and speaker during the 15th Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Awards and Banquet of Champions on March 25 at the Manila Hotel.

Pimentel, who topped the 1990 bar exams, will also confer the highest awards to Boxers of the Year Donnie Nietes, Nonito Donaire, Randy Petalcorin and Rey Loreto during elaborate ceremonies hosted by the Elorde clan led by the legend’s wife Laura.

Nietes, the WBO light flyweight champion, and Donaire, the WBO superbantamweight up to early 2014, will be elevated to the Elorde Hall of Fame, having won the Boxer of the Year award successively since 2007.

Petalcorin, a GenSan boxer now based in Melbourne, was the new WBA light flyweight champion in 2014 while Loreto claimed the IBO light flyweight title.

The four will lead 36 international and 13 national champions in rites coinciding with the 30th death anniversary and 80th birth anniversary of Flash Elorde who reigned as world junior lightweight king for seven straight years, from 1960-67.

Elorde’s uninterrupted seven-year reign in one division has become the yardstick for the enshrinement of a Filipino boxer to the Elorde Hall of Fame. The first to receive the award was Manny Pacquiao (2005 to 2012).

International and Philippine title holders will also take center stage and join the Banquet of Champions, an assembly of past and present champions led by Pacquiao.

Others to be awarded are Michael Aldeguer (best promoter), Danrex Tapdasan (best referee), Silvestre Abainza (best judge) and Edmund Villamor (best trainer).

A special award will be presented to former Japan and OPBF champion Hitoshi Misako. WBO vice president Leon Panoncillo,  international boxing promoter Naris Singwangcha, Contour Splinting, Manila Hotel and PhilBoxing.com will receive citations.

Others to be honored are JR Magboo and Vergil Puton (best fight of the year), IBF international super bantamweight champion Albert Pagara (most promising boxer) and amateur boxers Charly Suarez and Nesthy Petecio.

Anthony Villanueva, 1964 Olympic silver medalist who passed away last year, will be honored posthumously.

The rites are presented by PCSO, Pagcor, Cobra, Hapee Toothpaste, Contour Rehabilitation & Wellness Inc., Rotary Club Manila 101 and Elorde Gyms.

Details on tickets: 8250625, 8264463 and  09172504156.