Philippines, 19 Jul 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART VIII: FLASH ELORDE, THE LONGEST REIGNING WORLD SUPER FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMPION


PhilBoxing.com




Gabriel "Flash" Elorde won the lineal super featherweight title in 1960. In 1963, he won the first WBC and WBA super featherweight titles. He holds the record at super featherweight division for the longest reigning title holder, covering seven years and three months.

Gabriel Elorde was born in Bogo City, Cebu on March 25, 1935 from an underprivileged family. He is the youngest of 15 children.

Elorde finished only the 3rd grade in elementary and was forced to quit school due to utmost poverty. He then began to work as a bearer of bowling balls and as a carpenter to make ends meet.

A friend of his, Lucio Laborte, a former professional boxer trained him on the rudiments of boxing which he learned to love. Elorde immediately mastered the basics of the sport and continued with his ambition to become a boxer.

Elorde made his professional debut at the age of 16 on June 16, 1951, against Kid Gonzaga. The bout was held in Cebu. The boxing neophyte stopped his foe in the 4th round.

Elorde was a sturdy built southpaw with quick hands unleashing unstoppable body attacks on his foes.

"Bai", as Elorde was known to friends and fans, fought in national, regional, and world title bouts. His first 11 fights were all in Cebu. He won 10 of the bouts but absorbed a KO in his only defeat to Kid Independence.

The next year, Elorde won the national bantamweight title over Tanny Campo in Manila by decision. After this, he went to Tokyo, where he won the Oriental bantamweight crown via 12-round decision over Hiroshi Horiguchi.

In 1953, he failed in his campaign to win the national featherweight title, losing in a 12-round decision against Larry Bataan in Manila. He was also defeated in his next fight against Japanese junior lightweight champ Masashi Akiyama in Tokyo.

The following year opened miserably for Elorde as he suffered a 12-round defeat against Shigeji Kaneko in their Orient Pacific Boxing Federation featherweight title fight. But Elorde did not give up and won over Tommy Romulo in Manila for the Philippine junior lightweight championship.

He also won by decision against one of the greatest fighters of all time, world featherweight champion Sandy Saddler in 1955 in a non-title bout.

In 1956, he was offered a rematch with Saddler, this time with Saddler's world featherweight title was at stake. But Elorde suffered a cut in his eye during the match and lost the fight by 13th-round TKO.


Click here to view a list of other articles written by Maloney L. Samaco.


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • Pacquiao and Barrios Make Weight: Final Hurdle Cleared for Blockbuster Saturday Night
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • Usyk Registers Career-Heaviest Weight as Dubois Looks Ready for Undisputed Rematch at Wembley
    , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • Rodriguez vs. Cafu Unification Clash Set for Frisco, Texas; All Fighters Make Weight
    By Dong Secuya, , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • LOPEZ VS. VARGAS WEIGHTS FROM PECHANGA RESORT CASINO
    , Sat, 19 Jul 2025
  • “Bambol” Tolentino in Las Vegas: Supporting Filipino Athletes and Pacquiao
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Unstoppable: Team Philippines Storms Into Davis Cup Finals After Qatar Sweep
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Stumble Against Taipei, Look to Regroup vs. Hong Kong
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Fighting for clean sweep
    By Joaquin Henson, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • WBA No. 2 Heavyweight Contender Michael Hunter Is Ready to Take on World Champion Kubrat Pulev; All Systems Go for Purse Bid Winner Don King
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Weights from Panama City; WBA Women's Interim Superfly Title at Stake
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Undefeated prospect Pryce Taylor Working hard to join Brooklyn’s Elite list of top heavyweight boxers
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Justin Goossen-Brown Set to Make DAZN Broadcasting Debut This Friday at Boxlab Promotions’ Night of Champions in Orlando
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Philippine Davis Cup Team Sweeps Kuwait to Stay Unbeaten in Group IV
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao Promises Surprise Against Barrios
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • PACQUIAO VS. BARRIOS UNDERCARD MEDIA WORKOUT QUOTES
    , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Rosaupan rules Pasay rapid chess championship
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Fall to China in Nail-Biter, Slip to 5–2 in Asia Cup
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • The 19th Thousand Island Cup Philippine Xiangqi Open tournament on August 3
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 18 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao’s Legacy in Motion: PacMan contra El Azteca
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Blu Girls Crush Singapore 13-0, Set Sights on China in Asia Cup Showdown
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Laylo, Dableo to play in Baguio Open
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Pacquiao Shines in Final Press Conference: Can The Pacman Defeat Father Time and Barrios? (Analysis & Prediction)
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • More lucrative fights await Manny Pacquiao
    By Leo Reyes, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Rumors about Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025
  • Tapales, Laurente to help Inoue against MJ
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 17 Jul 2025




  •  



     
    PhilBoxing.com has been created to support every aspiring
    Filipino boxer and the Philippine boxing scene in general.
    Please send comments to feedback@philboxing.com


    PRIVATE POLICY | LEGAL DISCLAIMER
    developed and maintained by dong secuya
    © 2025 philboxing.com.