5 HIGHLAND BOXERS TO BE CITED IN ELORDE BOXING AWARDS

*AWARDEE. Sonny Katiandagho (right) with his manager Brico Santig of Highland Boxing Promotions*

FIVE fighters of the Highland Boxing Stable in La Trinidad, Benguet will be recognized for their achievements in the 17^th Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Boxing Memorial Awards and Banquet of Champions on March 25 at the Tent of the historic Manila Hotel.

They are World Boxing Council EuroPacific Boxing Council (WBC-EPBC) welterweight champion Sonny Katiandagho, Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Silver featherweight champion Carlo Magali, World Boxing Pacific Federation (WBPF) International lightweight champion Allan Tanada, Philippine welterweight champion Dennis Padua and Philippine flyweight champion Donny Mabao.

They are among the 11 Philippine champions of Class of 2016 as well as regional and international champions from the major boxing organizations in 11 divisions of the same year.

“I’m so proud of these boxers and I’d like to thank the Elordes for the recognition,” said Highland Boxing Stable owner Brico Santig.

The annual boxing award is held in celebration of the 82^nd birthday of the late Flash Elorde.

Also to be feted are Hall of Famers Manny “Pacman Pacquiao and Donnie “Ahas” Nietes, who will both received the Award of Distinction, one of the major awards of the Elorde Awards Night, is conferred to a Filipino boxer who have already been enshrined to the Elorde Hall of Fame.

IBF World super flyweight champion Jerwin “Pretty Boy” Ancajas of Davao City, IBF World flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero and WBO World bantamweight champion Marlon Tapales will be sharing the main award as the Boxer of the Year.

The other major highlight of the Elorde Awards, to be presented by the Elorde family led by Da Flash’s wife Laura, is the casting of the fists, a ceremonial casting of the fists of current and former Filipino world champions still alive. They will form part of a rich, extensive collection of memorabilia of Filipino greats.

Pacquiao will also lead the casting of the fists, a ceremonial casting of the fists of current and former Filipino world champions still alive.

The cast also includes former WBO bantamweight king Gerry Penalosa, former WBC lightweight champion Rolando Pascua, former IBF world super flyweight titleholder Tacy Macalos and former IBF world flyweight champion Dodie Boy Penalosa.

The Best Fight of the Year was the bout of Kenny Demecillo and Rambo Lagos while the other special awards will go to Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude Manangquil (Best Promoter), lawyer Danrex Tapdasan (Best Referee), Jhun Agrabio (Best Trainer) and WBO Inter-Continental and NABF super flyweight champion Aston “Mighty’ Palicte (Most Promising Boxer).