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Philippines, 19 May 2024 |
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Remembering Madam Laura Elorde By Teodoro Medina Reynoso PhilBoxing.com Mon, 04 May 2020  Gabriel 'Flash' Elorde had been a huge influence to me growing up in the 60s as far as my interest on boxing and sports in general. Hence when he lost one June night in 1967 to Yoshiaki Numata and ceded the world junior lightweight championship he held on for seven long glorious years, I felt a great sense of loss. When he passed away nearly thirteen years later a few months before his 50th birthday, I felt the huge void he left to Philippine boxing which would not be fully filled up until the coming of Manny Pacquiao. But his memory and legacy were kept alive by his loving wife, Laura and their children Johnny, Bebot and Marty and their spouses, notably Liza who sustained the operation of the Elorde Gyms and came up with an annual Elorde Awards for deserving, persevering and overachieving Pinoy boxers. It was in one of the media promotion of these annual awards back early the last decade (l cannot remember if it was 2010 or 2011), that I got to talk personally with Madam Laura via a radio phone patched interview one Saturday morning in our then daily boxing program hosted by the late Edwin Sese, "Sport Lang" over DzSR Sports Radio 918 khz. I was then helping co-anchor the show and Madam Laura was a special guest resource person being interviewed by Ka Edwin regarding the great Flash Elorde and his ring exploits and then forthcoming holding of that year's annual Elorde Awards. When my turn to speak to and interview Madam Laura came, I asked her how she felt when Bay Elorde lost to Numata and finally lost his world boxing championship, citing that my mother and elder sisters who were tuned in to the fight that night through the radio wept when it was announced that the Flash had lost and was no longer champion. Madam Laura said she was touched by the show of affection and concern of my mother and sisters and that she was thankful for the love, honor and respect many Filipinos had for her husband. "Siguro hanggang doon na lang talaga," she said. "Sa Japan ang laban, tatlo ang judges including one Filipino and one Japanese. Bumagsak si Numata pero hindi binilangan ng referee, nadulas lang daw. Ibinigay ng Pilipino judge kay Bay ang laban pero yung Hapon at yung isa pang judge pumabor kay Numata." She hasten to add: "Malaking pasalamat na rin namin na tumagal siya ng pitong taon na world champion. Those were seven long glorious years for us and the Filipino nation." I learned that Madam Laura never actually personally watched his husband fight. She just stayed at home to pray and follow his fights over the radio or TV if they were televised live. Since in the 50s and the 60s and sentiments against Japan were still strong for its wartime cruelty and atrocities, I also asked her about Bay Elorde losing once in three fights to noted rival Terou Kosaka and all four fights to early nemesis Shegiji Kaneko in the late 50s. I was startled and amused by her response. "Hindi ko masyadong pinapansin yun. Kasi kapag lumalaban si Bay sa Japan, apat hanggang lima ang kalaban niya," heavily insinuating that aside from the opponent, the Flash usually also was going up against the referee and the judges who were all Japanese. I later checked and it was true, especially in all his four losing fights against Kaneko. That would also explain many of his overseas losses, Madam Laura said. With a very supportive and understanding wife as Laura who fell in love with him and whom he married in 1954 long before he became a big name and world champion, no wonder Bay Elorde lasted that long in boxing. Photo: Madam Laura Elorde (C) was a fixture of the annual Gabriel 'Flash' Elorde Awards held every March 25, Flash Elorde's birth anniversary. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.  |
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