PACQUIAO PAYS TRIBUTE TO ELORDE?S LEGACY AND CURRENT FILIPINO CHAMPS
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 26 Mar 2013
MANILA (PNA) -- Eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has likened the late former world junior-lightweight kingpin Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde to an eagle, which uses its strong vision to succeed regardless of obstacles.
?Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde is an eagle,? Pacquiao said during Monday?s 13th Annual Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards and Banquet where he was the guest of honor and keynote speaker.
?His example reminds us to keep raising our personal standards. His legacy inspires us to carve a memory of a great name and leave an inheritance of a great example,? he added in paying tribute to the man in whose name the annual recognition night is being dedicated and whose 78th birthday his clan, led by surviving wife Laura and children were celebrating that day.
?Gabriel ?Flash?Elore is a constant reminder that what we do in life echoes in eternity,? the Filipino boxing icon stressed. ?With the inspiration we get from eagles like Flash Elorde, let us become more committed in strengthening our vision and our resolve to face the storms of life with courage and wisdom.?
Pacquiao observed that while eagles do not fly together the past and present Filipino boxing heroes in attendance are ?coming together and celebrate as a family.?
?This place is filled with eagles who do not allow problems and trials stop them from achieving their goals,? he said even as he paid homage to the 2012 honorees, headed by Boxers of the Year, Nonito Donaire Jr., Brian Viloria, Donnie Nietes, Johniel Casimero and Sonny Boy Jaro, world champions all in their respective divisions, who placed the Philippines at the top of boxing world last year.
For winning all of his four fights in 2012 in spectacular fashion, Donaire was gifted with the replica of the Elorde Championship Belt, the first Filipino fighter to have been so honored.
Also honored were international champions Ray ?Boom Boom? Bautista, Milan Melindo, AJ Banal, Jayson Pagara, Jonathan Taconing and Rocky Fuentes as well as Philippine belt-owners Dennis Laurente, Michael Farenas, Monico Launte, among others.
?If you would look closer and deeper, you would realize that athletes are like eagles with strong vision. Athletes, like eagles, are able to focus up to five kilometers from the air,? he reasoned out. ?No matter the obstacle, the eagle will not move his focus from his target until he grabs it.?
Besides honoring the men and women of strong vision, the Pacman said the night belonged to the men and women ?who are not afraid if only to survive the storms of life.?
Pacquiao said the celebration was in recognition to the awardees resolve not to give up. ?We have seen the face of defeat and failures, but we did not surrender. Those timew that we won or fights, we remained humble. We did not give up our dignity and principles.?
Even at times, that ?we have lost our fights, we remained honorable. We did not lose our dignity and principles,? he reminisced.
In closing, Pacquiao reminded his audience of a quote from Sir Winston Churchill, ?Success is not final ? failure is not fatal ? it?s the courage to continue that counts.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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