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Philippines, 25 Apr 2024 |
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REMEMBERING ?FLASH? ELORDE?S MEMORABLE WORLD TITLE VICTORY By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Mon, 16 Mar 2015  When Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde met world junior lightweight champion Harold Gomes of the United States in Gomes? first defense of the title he had won from tough Paul; Jorgensen, there were many, including members of the media, who felt Elorde could not beat Gomes who was described as ?a guy with a punch.? However, there were some local fight fans whose theory was that since Tommy Tibbs had beaten Gomez thrice and Bert Somodio had beaten Tibbs while Elorde had beaten Somodio convincingly, then, in the simplest of logic, Elorde could beat Gomes. The contract for the fight was signed in Quezon City on January 15, 1960. Gomes, who had earlier initialed a contract with Elorde?s manager and father-in-law Lope ?Papa? Sarreal in the American?s hometown of Providence. Rhode Island was represented in the Quezon City signing by Manila promoter Candido Bautista. Lino Sarmiento of the Associated Press quoted Jorge (George) Araneta who disclosed that the contract of Gomes for $25,000 called for a deposit of $20,000 in a New York bank in trust, collectible after the fight with the remaining $5,000 payable in pesos in the Philippines. Under the terms of the contract the young Araneta was committed to cover the airfare and board and lodging of a party of six which included Gomes? manager Sammy Richman, promoter Dewey Fragetta, one trainer, and Tony Petronella who was the National Boxing Association coordinator and referee Barney Ross, the former world lightweight and welterweight champion. In a magnanimous gesture, Araneta revealed that 50 percent of the proceeds would be donated to disabled and indigent Filipino boxers and the remaining 50 percent would be handed over to the National Press Club for any charity of its choice. The Araneta Coliseum, the biggest domed venue in Asia at that time was built by George Araneta?s esteemed businessman-sportsman father who was driven by a desire to provide Filipinos with a venue for world class sports and entertainment at the most reasonable prices. While the capacity of the Big Dome was 23,000, Araneta told us some years later that somehow around 36,000 fans jammed into the venue for the inauguration of the coliseum which was to see the emergence of the first postwar Filipino world champion and subsequent Hall of Famer, Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde, the son of a poor farmer in the rustic town of Bogo, Cebu. The title fight itself was one of the most enthralling in the storied history of Philippine boxing. Elorde wearing a pale blue towel robe entered the ring at 9:50 p.m. accompanied by Didong Bautista and trainers Cely Villanueva and Filemon Solomon. Gomes wearing a sky blue robe stepped into the ring two minutes later with his 65 year old trainer Whitey Bimstein. Elorde appeared to be sizing up Gomes in the opening round which was described by one boxing writer as ?tame? before Elorde exploded and smashed Gomes to the canvas early in the second round. The champion wobbled to his feet with glassy eyes before Elorde sent him crashing to the canvas for a second time only to be saved by the bell at the count of four. Elorde dropped Gomez again in the third round and battered the champion all over the ring before Gomes fought back to take the fourth round in a gallant effort to stem the tide. Elorde soon picked up his aggressive stance in round five and hammered Gomes, once again sending him to the canvas for a count of five and then left Gomes flat on his back draped over the lower ring strand at the bell. At the start o the seventh round of the fifteen round title fight, Elorde appeared to be coasting before he suddenly connected with two vicious rights to the head of Gomez and then cracked him with a shattering left hook to the jaw sending Gomes to the canvas one more time for a count of four as the champion struggled to his feet showing remarkable resiliency. Elorde ripped Gomes with another flurry and sent him crashing to the canvas and as the champion staggered to his feet Elorde smashed him with another rapid-fire barrage of punches capped by a devastating left uppercut that dropped Gomes for the full count at 1:50 of the seventh round. It was, as one report said, the signal for the crowd at ringside to jump into the ring, scrambling over chairs, typewriters, telephones and newsmen in the process. Elorde burst into tears as his overjoyed countrymen congratulated him and kept slapping him on the back while Gomes sat in his corner, desolate and dazed. At the time of the knockout referee Ross had Elorde ahead 60-50 after six rounds, Rafael Torres included the 7th round in his scorecard for a 70-59 tally while Gregorio Trinidad had Elorde in front 69-51 after six rounds. Petronella said ?it was the greatest fight of Elorde and a great victory for Filipino boxing? even as he expressed the hope that the rematch would be held in the Philippines but was certain that Gomes ?will never beat Elorde.? True enough in the rematch at the famed Cow Palace in San Francisco on August 17, 1960 , Elorde won by a smashing 1st round knockout after dropping Gomes twice in the opening round. Referee Barney Ross praised Elorde as ?a great champion.? One of the renowned sportswriters at that time was Virgilio Pantaleon who was later to become a top executive of Caltex Philippines. He had predicted that Gomes would win because, in his mind, Elorde didn?t have the power to overcome a puncher like Gomes. When it was over Pantaleon wondered ?where did those lethal bombs come from? Whence cam those short, savage punches?? Why, after all these years, this sudden show of destructive power?? Pantaleon said he and many others had thought all along that Elorde was ?mostly hustle and a little gristle , a dueller who fought with the rapier instead of the broadsword? but he was proven wrong and couldn?t have been gladder. When his dressing room was almost empty of well-wishers and friends, Gomes walked in and said ?I wish you the best champ? as he embraced Elorde and kissed him on the cheek. Elorde said ?I thank God above everything else.? Moments later Elorde knelt down and prayed and as he got up there were tears rolling down his cheeks. It was a night when a nation proud of a native son, shed tears of joy. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.  |
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