by Ronnie Nathanielsz

                                                                         

Four title fights highlight the “Flash” Elorde Annual Awards Night at the Manila Hotel with two grandsons of the all-time great and Hall-of-Famer seeing action in what is always a superb presentation orchestrated by their mother Liza Elorde and her husband Johnny.

WBO Asia Pacific super featherweight champion Juan Martin “Bai” Elorde, a southpaw like his grandfather with his identical nickname will defend his crown against Japan’s Hirotsugu  Yamamoto while younger brother Juan Miguel “Mig” Elorde will seek to win the vacant WBO Asia Pacific super bantamweight title when he faces Thailand’s Tabthong Tor Buamas.

30 year old Juan Martin has a record of 16-1-1 with 7 knockouts while the 31 year old Yamamoto’s record is 16-10-2 with 2 knockouts.

Juan Miguel Elorde who is 28 has a record of 17-1 with 9 knockouts while the 27 year old Tor Buamas has a record of 14-2 with 12 knockouts and is certain to prove to be a dangerous foe.

In a battle for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation featherweight title, veteran 33 year old southpaw  Vinvin Rufino who has a record of 36-16-3 with 16 knockouts faces 27 year old southpaw Mark Gil Melligen who is ranked No, 12 by the OPBF.

Melligen sports a record of 21-4-1 with 12 knockouts and has won his last six fights, 2 by knockouts and 4 by TKO with the biggest win in that stretch being a 2nd round TKO over Japan’s  Masayuki Wakimoto who had a record of 20-4-1 with 7 knockouts.

In an exciting bout for the Philippine bantamweight crown 30 year old Monico Laurente who has a record of 25-12 with 6 knockouts clashes with hard-hitting and aggressive Marco Demecillio, the 24 year old with an impressive record of 20-2-1 with15 knockouts.

Demecillo is best remembered for his give-and-take, action-packed  encounter with undefeated OPBF champion King Arthur Villanueva in an ALA Promotions card in Davao City on April 20, 2013 which Villanueva won by a twelve round unanimous decision.