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by Eddie Alinea, Contributor
THREE division world champion
Manny Pacquiao added another
first on his long list of achievements.
After becoming the first Filipino
and Asian to win three world titles in different weight classes,
Pacquiao was enshrined in the Elorde Boxing Hall of Fame.
He’s the first and all by his
lonesome there, which is actually fitting for a rare breed like him.
No less than his No. 1 supporter,
President Gloria Arroyo, conferred him the honor Tuesday night at
the Manila Hotel. The Chief Executive handed the proud fighter a
huge trophy symbolizing his being a Hall of Famer.
The affair also honored Filipino
boxers, who brought honors to themselves and the country in the
different international arenas the past year.
Pacquiao was awarded his seventh
“Boxer of the Year” honor, the number of awards that will
qualify a Filipino boxer into the Hall of Fame as seven represents
the number of years Elorde defended his world junior lightweight
crown.
“It’s an honor for me to get
this recognition, the late Flash Elorde served as my inspiration to
pursue winning the world lightweight championship, which he tried to
win for our country. That will be my goal,” said Pacquiao.
The President in her speech
recalled that Pacquiao once told him about his the fond memories
fighting under the Elorde banner early in his career.
Pacquiao came in minutes after
the president’s speech accompanied by his wife Jinkee and his
usual large entourage.
Besides Pacquiao, the other major
awardees were International Boxing Federation minimumweight champion
Florante Condes, World Boxing Organization 105-lb ruler Donnie
Nietes, WBO Bantamweight kingpin Gerry Peñalosa and IBF flyweight
holder Nonito Donaire Jr.
Cebu businessman Antonio Aldeguer
of the famed ALA gym was also honored for producing nearly a dozen
regional champions that included, AJ “Bazooka” Banal (Youth and
intercontinental), Z Gorres (IBF intercontinental), Czar Amonsot
(Asia Pacific), Milan Milendo (Asia Pacific), Mark Jason Melliguen
(Asia Pacific) and Robert Allanic (Asia Pacific).
Former world champion Luisito
Espinosa, who flew Monday morning from San Francisco, California,
was also honored along with referees Ferdinand Estrella and
Sylvestre Abainza.
Pacquiao is coming off a close
12-round split verdict win over Mexican rival Juan Manuel Marquez
two weeks ago at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada, which earned
him his third world title—the WBC superfeatherweight crown.
Pacquiao is eyeing a shot at the
WBC lightweight crown currently owned by Mexican-American David
Diaz, a fight penciled by the Filipino’s American promoter Top
Rank, Inc. on June 28.
Meanwhile, another potential
Pacquiao foe, the undefeated knockout artist Edwin Valero of
Venezuela, is a step closer in realizing his dream of facing the
Filipino sensation.
Valero, the WBA super
featherweight holder with a record of 23-0 with 23 knockouts
including 19 first round stoppages, has been cleared to fight in the
state of Texas.
Valero’s application for a
Texas boxing license was recently approved by the Department of
Licensing and Regulation, which governs all boxing matters that take
place in Texas.
Valero reportedly had to pass a
battery of physical and neurological exams in order to satisfy the
state regulators and medical specialists. The Venezuelan knockout
artist was banned to fight by the New York State Athletic Commission
four years ago after medical tests supposedly revealed a crack in
Valero’s skull owing to a motorcycle accident.
In February 2001 Valero, who was
not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, fractured his
skull and had surgery to remove a cranial blood clot. Fresh from
entering a deal with GBP, Valero was scheduled to appear on HBO’s
Boxing After Dark but failed an MRI due to brain scan irregularities
in New York.
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