Mrs. Laura Elorde was nine months pregnant when her husband fought American Harold Gomes more than 50 years ago for the world junior lightweight championship at the Big Dome; Mrs. Elorde recalls the day and remembers the firetrucks.
One thing that probably helped the late great Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde win his bouts was having a wife not comparable to most spouses of other champions who would be panic-stricken come fight night.
Days before a scheduled match, families of boxers have this feeling as if their loved ones are about to be sent to the guillotine and meet their doom.
And so on March 16, 1960, Laura Sarreal Elorde, wife of Flash, never became a cause for concern for the Filipino idol who on that same day was bent on ending the country’s 20-year boxing title drought.
Miss Elorde, still sharp at age 89, was even on the family way around that time when Elorde was to face defending titleholder Harold Gomes of the United States in a 12-round match for the world junior lightweight championship.
“I don’t worry about it and he doesn’t tell me about it. We really do not talk about any of his fights because I’m confident that he can defend himself very well,” said Miss Elorde “It was just an ordinary day for us. It was because I saw how prepared he was. Hindi siya nagloloko sa training.”
Against Elorde, Gomes was the betting favorite and was making the first defense of the world crown he captured the year before by scoring a decision win over fellow American Paul Jorgensen in Rhode Island.
“I was on the family way at that time and I didn’t even attend the fight. I was staying in San Juan because our house in Baclaran was being renovated,” said Miss Elorde.
Meantime Elorde repaid the fervor shown by his ardent fans by flooring Gomes seven times en route to a scintillating 7th round stoppage to the delight of about 30,000 paying public inside the Araneta Coliseum which was then having its inaugural event.
“We were wondering then why the firetrucks were roaming around our area making all those noise. Eventually they told us they were doing that to tell people Bai won the fight,” said Miss Elorde who gave birth to daughter Theresa Remedios five days after Elorde’s world title conquest. (DENNIS PRINCIPE)