The Flash| The best Filipino boxer Of All Time

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Many would argue that Manny Pacquiao is undoubtedly the greatest ever Filipino boxer reason been because of his achievements and activeness in the sports but there's one boxing great from Filipino before Manny Pacquiao and for me he is the best Filipino boxer of all time, his name is Gabriel Elorde, and he is nicknamed the 'flash", because he is very fast and his low jabs are out of this world, this made him even more special from the rest at his era, Elorde was born and raised in Cebu, 1935, sadly he died from a long ailness of Cancer on January 2, 1985, which is at the age of 49. Long before Manny Pacquiao was a global benchmark for the boxing fan, there was Elorde, The beast holds the record as the longest reign in the super featherweight division, seven years of glory for this Tagalog warrior, with a record of 118 bouts [89 (33KO) -27-2].

Elorde is the youngest of 15 siblings and he also came from a poor family just like Manny Pacquiao, he was actually working as a carpenter from his childhood days and from the story I heard of him, he was also training to become a world renowned boxer, and a bowling ball carrier, His dream came to live not until he was discovered by a friend who is an ex-professional boxer, Lucio Laborte, he was the one who taught him to box at just 16 years old.

Elorde made his professional debut in 1951, against Kid Gonzaga, whom he destroyed in the fourth round; Nine years later Elorde became super featherweight world champion when he knocked out defending champion Harold Gomes in the seventh round.

If you had watch some of his highlights you would know how fast this dude was back then, reason why he is nicknamed the "Flash", He was a fast left-hander with great technique, which printed great beating rhythms to the fights, seeing him box was a real madness because of how he entered and struck in the clinch, he came out with a step back, he smashed that devastating left forward he brought his opponents down and that's what happened to his rival that night on March 16, 1960, when super featherweight champion Harold Gomes stepped into the ring with this Tagala beast. Elorde finished that night with Harold, in front of 30,000 spectators at the Araneta Coliseum, he knocked out Gomes in the seventh round after having him kiss the canvas in the second, third and fifth rounds.

The Filipino Flash at the same time as a great fighter, was also a great devout Catholic as he helped build the Chapel of Santa Rita, housed by nuns who when Elorde stepped into the ring, they prayed that nothing bad happened to him. A true champion outside and inside the 16 ropes. He was a great man and a great champion and to me he is the best Filipino boxer of all time, Sorry if I have Just provoked some Manny Pacquiao fans but believe that's just my opinion.