On January 2, 1985, legendary Filipino boxer Gabriel "Flash" Elorde died due to lung cancer. Fighting 118 bouts in four weight divisions during the span of his pro career, Elorde lorded over the super featherweight for seven years (1960 to 1967). This made him the longest reigning Filipino boxing champion until Donnie "Ahas" Nietes broke the record in 2014. Nietes was also a fighter in four weight divisions.
At the age of 16, Elorde made his professional debut in 1951, and was able to win the OPBF regional title for the bantamweight division the following year. It was also his first match outside the Philippines, fighting in the famed Kokugikan Arena in Japan. Meanwhile, he won his first world title when he knocked out American boxer and defending world champion Harold Gomes in the Araneta Coliseum. This was in the super featherweight division. Gomes would never fight for a title match after Elorde.
Elorde's boxing style was said to have integrated the eskrima, a Filipino martial art, and has since influenced out-boxer fighters. Even outside the ring, Elorde loomed large in the consciousness of the Filipino public. From TV commercials to films, he was present. The Elorde Awards, inaugurated in 2000 as the highest recognition of Filipino professional boxers, has been created in his honor. Among the more recent awardees are also Filipino titleholders, namely Jerwin Ancajas (super flyweight), Johnriel Casimero (bantamweight), and Pedro Taduran (minimumweight).
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Photos: Elorde v. American boxer and world featherweight champion Sandy Saddler, ranked by Ring Magazine as one of the "Greatest Punchers of All Time", in a non-title match (top); Elorde v. Puerto Rican boxer and world lightweight champion Carlos Ortiz, who had one of the most consecutive title defenses in the lightweight division (bottom)
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