LOW-KEY MARTY: Elorde trades tennis racket to boxing gloves

LOW-KEY MARTY: Elorde trades tennis racket to boxing gloves | Daily Tribune

One day in 1983, Marty Elorde was in the midst of a heartbreaking experience when his illustrious father — the late boxing great Gabriel “Flash” Elorde — came over to him and asked for a small favor.

“He told me that I take over the managerial role of one of our stable’s top prospects,” Elorde said over the weekend as he was taking a break from his role as chief operator of the Elorde Garden, a chic resto bar along Sucat Road in Parañaque.

Marty, the fifth child of The Flash and Laura Sarreal, had never dipped his hands in boxing even though it was the family’s bread and butter alongside the operation of a sprawling sports center that houses a cockpit arena where bigwigs could be seen.

The fighter he was asked to manage was one of the Elorde Sports Center’s (ESC) most promising boxers, Rolando Bohol, who later became the International Boxing Federation (IBF) flyweight world champion under Marty’s stewardship.

“Boxing was not on my agenda until my father approached me and broached the idea of managing Bohol,” Marty, now 61, said.

While his brothers Gabriel Jr. (Bebot) and Johnny were into the fight game, Marty was not.

First and foremost, his first love was tennis.

“I thought I would be going to study in the States after I finished high school but I was denied a visa several times,” he recalled.

Marty said he was supposed to enroll at George Mason University in Virginia as a student-athlete but things just didn’t go on as planned.

“I guess that wasn’t my destiny.”

In a snap, he saw himself doing things that Bebot and Johnny were trying to perfect with tips being provided by their celebrated father The Flash and grandfather, promoter-matchmaker Lope Sarreal Sr., who, are both enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Later on, Marty realized that boxing wasn’t bad after all.

By becoming manager of fighters, Marty’s other passion was being rewarded.

“Since I was the manager, I accompanied my boxers to their fights overseas,” Marty said.

“My other interest is traveling and being the manager, I got to go to a lot of different places with my boxers.”

While Marty enjoyed visiting new places, he was nonetheless not fully into it.

“I like the traveling aspect but you don’t get to fully enjoy the experience because on fight day, you get all worked up and nervous.”

Unbeknownst to many, Marty, at one time, was the registered manager of eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao.

That was in the early-2000s as Marty teamed up with a longtime Japanese friend to act as co-managers of the Philippines’ grandest boxer of all time.

Marty did manage a lot of fighters since that day in 1983 “but only a few were given world title shots.”

Nowadays, he is managing Pedro Taduran, the reigning IBF minimumweight titleholder.

Sharing the co-managing role is younger sister Cucuy.

But one thing that makes Marty distinct from a lot of managers is his refusal to sign up a fighter.

“I don’t see the rationale behind getting someone sign a contract because what if a certain boxer is still under contract but already wants out?”

“This is something that makes me very uncomfortable.”

So far, Marty is having a ball acting as manager.

Just months into his decision to become Taduran’s manager, the fighter was granted a shot at a world crown.

In July last year, Taduran won the title in Otsu City in Japan, making Marty a kingmaker for the second time.

Perhaps, Marty’s kind disposition and generous ways may have something to do with the opportunities coming his way.

During the height of the pandemic, Marty got stuck with dozens and dozens of fighters at the ESC complex.

With everything on standstill, Marty had to go the extra mile to ensure that everyone gets taken care of while they await what’s going to happen next.

“I acted as their errand boy. I was the one who went out to buy food and other essentials.”

Marty, who had to shell out his own money, said that until now, the sight of canned sardines and corned beef makes him sick.

“I couldn’t stand it,” he added, jokingly.

Nowadays, Marty has decided to cut down on the number of fighters under his wing.

In fact, Taduran is his top guy and he is doing everything possible to guarantee that they get the best offers.

In the works is the first defense of the IBF 105-lb title, probably in May, in Japan.

“Sean Gibbons is helping us out with this fight,” he said.

With Marty seeking Gibbons’ assistance, all signs point to a successful campaign in a few months time.

Just can’t blame Marty for getting the breaks lately.