RETIRED boxing superstar and future Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao joins longtime World Boxing Council (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaiman as part of the star-studded list gracing the first Pacquiao Elorde Awards Night on March 24 at the Okada Manila.
Pacquiao noted the close association and long history Philippine boxing had with the WBC, one of the four major pro boxing bodies in the world along with the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and International Boxing Federation.
“It’s really an honor that WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman will be joining us to be the guest speaker in the Pacquiao Elorde Awards Night this coming Sunday,” the 45-year-old Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao, the world’s only eight-division world champion, once reigned as WBC champion at flyweight, lightweight, and super-welterweight.
The great Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde was considered one of the outstanding WBC super-featherweight champions in history whose reign lasted from 1960-1967.
MP Promotions President Sean Gibbons said Pacquiao noted the Philippines was one of the 11 founding countries of the WBC when it was first founded on February 14, 1963.
“It’s a grand return to history as the Philippines was one of the founding members of the WBC. During the late 1960s until the early 1970s, Filipinos served as its president and secretary-general,” said Gibbons, who is also an international matchmaker.
He is obviously referring to the late Justiniano Montano Jr. as WBC president, and the late Atty Rodrigo Salud as secretary-general, who was also the one who crafted the Constitution and Bylaws of the governing body.
The son of the former WBC lifetime President Jose Sulaiman, according to Gibbons, will be arriving in Manila on Wednesday afternoon.
Sulaiman will also be in attendance on Saturday night together with the former Filipino senator when Paris Olympics-bound Eumir Felix Marcial takes on Thai Thoedsak Sinam at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium that serves as sendoff for his Olympic training.
“He (Sulaiman) will surely enjoy his stay here in Manila with Manny Pacquiao,” Gibbons added.
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