Top local promoter Gabriel “Bebot” Elorde has decided to move the fight for the vacant World Boxing Association (WBA) minimumweight crown from its original date of 5 December to 30 January next year.
The venue will remain the same with the grand ballroom of the Elorde Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque hosting the battle between Filipino punchers and leading contenders Vic Saludar and Robert Paradero.
Elorde said the status of Metro Manila being on general community quarantine (GCQ) until the end of the year prompted the postponement of the world title fight since its rules won’t allow the holding of sporting events to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The title match was announced last September when the projection at that time was that the National Capital Region was on its way to being placed under a less strict moderate general community quarantine by mid-November.
“The postponement will give me more time to get things ready,” Elorde, son of the legendary Hall of Famer Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, told Daily Tribune yesterday.
Saludar, an ex-world champion, holds a 20-4 record with 11 KOs while Paradero boasts of an immaculate 18-0 card with 12 KOs.
With Filipino boxers actively competing the past few years, the staging of an all-Filipino world championship fight is starting to catch on.
Last year, Pedro Taduran beat Samuel Salva for the vacant International Boxing Federation minimumweight diadem in Taguig City.
Before that in 2018, Jerwin Ancajas defeated mandatory challenger Jonas Sultan at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, in the first world title fight involving Filipinos in almost 100 years.
The Philippines stands to have a fifth current world champion next month when Nonito Donaire vies for the World Boxing Council bantamweight title on 19 December against Puerto Rican Emmanuel Rodriguez.
The present-day titleholders are Manny Pacquiao, John Riel Casimero, Ancajas and Taduran.
Donaire is itching to join them and so are Saludar and Paradero.
