THE POET Cesar Ruiz Aquino wanted to know if a Gabriel “Flash” Elorde video is available on CD or DVD.
Quite doubtful, he was informed.
Aquino, a professor of literature at the Silliman University in Dumaguete City, felt intrigued. He wanted to check what old fight fans had told him that Da Flash was more delightful to watch than Muhammad Ali — “Si Delon nga, ang sabi mas maganda daw tingnan si Flash kay Ali.”
Ali might be a true delight, he was told, but Flash Elorde was purer, nothing fancy, nothing put-on, whatsoever.
One small clarification first: Your reporter here can’t claim he knows Elorde the way he has come to know Manny Pacquiao, the super warrior.
But please don’t take this to mean that Elorde’s greatness was merely hearsay.
The bulk of the Elorde legend was molded in our heart through what we would read about his big fights in the old Manila Times the morning after.
Television was practically non-existent during those boyhood years, but we also savored blow-by-blow accounts of Elorde’s battles over the radio.
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Truth is we took heart to assure our poet-friend about the valor and purity of Elorde only after having seen film clips of Da Flash’s epic twin fights against Sandy Saddler, the former world 126-pound king also infamously dubbed as the Pike-like Featherweight.
The clips, in black and white of course, were featured during the Elorde Memorial Awards night at Dusit Hotel last March 25 through the efforts of broadcaster Ronnie Nathanielsz, a one time Elorde confidante.
It was chance encounter with greatness. In attending the award rites for the first time, we readily confirmed what we had been hearing through the years in boxing circles.
Yes, big and sensational as Pacquiao has become, it would not be easy to put him a notch higher than Elorde in the area of skills and all-around boxing prowess.
Paquiao handlers may not like what we would suggest, but the RP boxing super hero has some solid lessons to learn from Elorde.
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Pacquiao, being the main awardee that night, must’ve himself seen the clips.
But if he happened to be busy posing with fans or signing autographs, he could reward himself with a review of the Elorde-Saddler fight tape.
That great battle in San Francisco, California in the late 50s was already a rematch, Elorde having shamed and beaten Saddler in Manila previously.
The rematch was as awesome, sensational as the Pacquiao rematch with Erik Morales in value and impact.
The world title was at stake. Elorde, despite Saddler lacing him with both elbows, cutting him freely with headbutts while rubbing open gloves over the wounds, was well on his way to repeating over Saddler.
Seeing no escape for the champion, the referee, after having shamelessly allowed the assorted infractions, halted the bout and declared Elorde loser by technical decision.
As could be expected, the referee was banned for life. He had nullified what could’ve been one of the greatest wins in prizefight history.
All told, it’s easy to say now that Pacquiao, with the intoxicating impact of his knockout win over Morales last January, has deposed Elorde as the greatest Filipino boxer.
Greater, yes. However, it would be unfair to rank Pacquiao a better fighter than Elorde.
Pacquiao also has a lot to learn from Da Flash when it comes to being a true gentleman.
Life outside the boxing ring is an entirely different bout.
