Nietes, Donaire head elite honor roll

Donnie Nietes and Nonito Donaire Jr. will be enshrined into the Elorde Boxing Hall of Fame for being Elorde Boxers of the Year for seven consecutive years since 2008 during the 15th Gabriel “Flash” Elorde Memorial Boxing Awards and Banquet of Champions on March 25 at Manila Hotel.

Nietes , the current WBO light flyweight world champion, has given the Philippines pride and honor as WBO minimumweight champion (2008), WBO strawweight titlist (2009) and IBF light flyweight champion from 2010 to 2014.

Donaire also became the toast of pro boxing as IBF flyweight (2008-2010), WBC and WBO bantamweight (2011), WBO and IBF super bantamweight (2012) and WBO super bantamweight (2013-14) world champion.

The Elorde Hall of Fame is Philippine pro boxing’s highest honor accorded only to seven-time Boxer of the Year awardees. The first Hall of Fame honoree was Manny Pacquiao in 2008.

“We use seven consecutive years as the yardstick since Bai Elorde was world junior lightweight champion for seven consecutive years from 1960-to 1967,” said Laura Elorde, wife of the boxing great.