By NICK GIONGCO
Laura Sarreal Elorde, the grand old lady of Philippine boxing, passed away early Sunday morning in Parañaque. She was 92.
Her youngest son Marty disclosed that Mrs. Elorde died of natural causes at around 2:30 and was surrounded by family members.
She was the daughter of boxing promoter Lope Sarreal Sr. and was married to Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde.
Sarreal and Elorde were enshrined into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York.
Sarreal died in March 1995 and was enshrined in 2005 while Elorde left much earlier in 1985 and inducted posthumously in 1995.
The Flash and Laura were married in 1954 and they were blessed with seven children ‒ Maria Luisa (deceased), Gabriel Jr. (Bebot) Johnny, Teresa, Marty, Rita, and Maria Laurita.
Johnny was the only to get into boxing and he took the gold in the 1979 Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta.
Johnny now operates a boxing stable and promotion while Bebot and Marty also have their own separate stables.
Two grandsons ‒ siblings Juan Miguel and Juan Martin ‒ also tried boxing.
Last year, Juan Miguel challenged unsuccessfully Emanuel Navarrete of Mexico for the World Boxing Organization super-bantamweight crown in Las Vegas.
Nico Elorde, another brother, is a professional basketball player.