Philippines, 01 Sep 2025
  Home >> News

 


BOXERS

CURRENT CHAMPIONS 

FORMER CHAMPIONS   

RATINGS                       

NEWS           

FORUM        

FIGHT GALLERIES        

RING CARD GIRLS        


 
 
News  


STORY OF PHILIPPINE BOXING PART X: FLASH ELORDE, THE FIRST ASIAN INTERNATIONAL BOXING HALL OF FAMER


PhilBoxing.com




There were no world title bouts for Elorde after the loss to Sandy Saddler. But he was able to maintain his ranking as a world contender and won the Philippine and Orient Pacific Boxing Federation lightweight titles.

He won the world super featherweight championship on March 16, 1960, by knocking out the defending world champion American Harold Gomes in seven rounds. That night, Elorde ended the country's 20-year world championship drought.

It was the first title defense of Gomes from the belt he took from fellow American Paul Jorgensen. The fight took place at the newly built Araneta Coliseum, the biggest dome in Asia that time.

The crowd estimated to be around 30,000 cheered the Filipino ring hero and several fans climbed into the ring after Gomes went down to his knees and was knocked out at one minute 50 seconds of the seventh round. The victory occurred two decades after another Filipino Ceferino Garcia lost the word middleweight title he held until 1940.

Elorde floored Gomes in the second round with a solid right hook to the head. The Filipino challenger floored the 25-year-old American again in the third round and in the fifth round, dropping him to the lower rope at the end of the round.

In the sixth round, Gomes was able to recover and was trying to fight back. But as the seventh round began, Elorde pummelled him again with a barrage of blows with rights to the head followed by a left to the jaw that decked him once more.

Gomes was able to stand up but was floored again after Elorde hit him with a flurry of lefts and rights. The Flash did not stop hitting the champion with an aggregate of punches that prompted the referee Barney Ross to count him out. When Gomes recovered his senses, he approached Elorde in his corner and told him "It was a good fight".

Elorde again defeated Gomes on August 17, 1960 this time knocking him out in the first round at the Cow Palace, Daly City, California.

Elorde also challenged Puerto Rican Carlos Ortiz for the world lightweight title on two occasions. He was stopped both times by Ortiz in the 14th round.

Elorde defended the crown 10 times. Elorde's career began to wane in June 9, 1966, when he lost his Oriental lightweight title to Yoshiaki Numata in 12-round decision.

The following year, on June 15, 1967 Numata also wrested Elorde's world super feather crown with a 15-round decision. This made him the longest-reigning world junior lightweight champion in boxing history for seven years and three months.

He went into semi-retirement and when he returned to the ring in 1969, he won seven of last 11 matches.

Elorde retired with a record of 88 wins with 33 KO victories, 27 losses with 4 KO defeats and 2 draws. He never left boxing though and pursued a career as promoter. He is considered as the greatest super featherweight champion of all time in WBC history.

Elorde died of lung cancer on January 2, 1985, one day after New Year's Day, at the age of 49.

According to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, Elorde is not only the best fighter to ever come out of the Philippines but also from the Asia-Pacific region. Elorde was the first Asian to be inducted into the New York-based International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1993.

Elorde is one of two Filipino fighers, the other is Pancho Villa, who have been elevated in the IBHOF. He was then classified as a junior lightweight, the equivalent of the super featherweight division.

Photo shows Flash Elorde knocking out Harold Gomes.


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


Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:

  • OKC Thunder Favored to Repeat as NBA Champs
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Mon, 01 Sep 2025
  • Pacman sets ‘Thrilla’ commemoration
    By Joaquin Henson, , Sun, 31 Aug 2025
  • Historic win for Paolo Gallito who edges Lee Van Cortez in the finals of the Efren "Bata" Reyes Yalin 10-Ball Championships
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 31 Aug 2025
  • "The Return" Weights from Detroit
    , Sun, 31 Aug 2025
  • Efren Reyes Yalin 10-Ball Tourney: Corteza Faces Villafuerte in Finals
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sun, 31 Aug 2025
  • Martha Salazar: Stepping Out of Her Own Shadow
    By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • Laurente and Marapu Make Weight for IBF Regional Title; Gaballo Fights Tomorrow in Sanman Boxing Show in Gensan
    , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • IM Christian Arca sweeps 10-game simultaneous chess in IIEE SMRC in Davao City
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • GOLDEN BOY PRESENTS “I’M SWEET” FEATURING GABRIELA “SWEET POISON” FUNDORA
    , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • Traya, Bactol, De Barbo, Porres in Action in Highland Show in Thailand, live on DAZN
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • Bisutti, Panya Make Weight for UBO World Title in Highland Show on DAZN
    By Carlos Costa, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • Turki Alalshikh the most influential boxing leader in United Kingdom
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • Bambam will flight ‘clean & disciplined’ against Requito
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • Carlos Flowers Ready to Blossom on the World’s Stage at 2025 World Boxing Championships
    , Sat, 30 Aug 2025
  • Traya eyes KO win against Thai tomorrow
    By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025
  • Navarrete's Future in Question as He Resists Rematch with Charly Suarez
    By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025
  • Davao's Corteza beats Biado, Aranas enters round-of-32 in P2 Million Bata Reyes 10 Ball Open
    By Marlon Bernardino, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025
  • Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: The Growth of Boxing
    By Mauricio Sulaimán, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025
  • Toshihiko Era Retains WBF Asia Strap in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Fri, 29 Aug 2025
  • Boxlab Promotions Signs Rising Cuban Prospects Ronny Alvarez and Pedro Veitia
    , Fri, 29 Aug 2025
  • Boxing Legend & Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr. Confirmed for Eighth Annual Box Fan Expo, During Mexican Independence Day Weekend, Saturday September 13, in Las Vegas
    , Fri, 29 Aug 2025
  • Vayson vies for WBA/WBO titles
    By Joaquin Henson, , Thu, 28 Aug 2025
  • Mexican "The Rock" Zamora, three-time female world champion with 20 world championship fights, retires
    By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Thu, 28 Aug 2025
  • “I’M ONLY GETTING BETTER”: CONFIDENT PAT McCORMACK PLOTS HUGE HOMECOMING WIN OVER MIGUEL PARRA TO SPARK WORLD TITLE CHARGE
    , Thu, 28 Aug 2025
  • Heart of a Lion: 'Lucky Boy' Reymark Alicaba Earns Praise Despite Loss by Points in Thailand
    By Carlos Costa, , Thu, 28 Aug 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.