Manny Pacquiao
Born: Mindanao, Philippines. December 17, 1978
Full Name: Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao
Nickname: Pac Man
Record: 49-3-2 (37 KOs)
Manny Pacquiao is on the verge of cementing his name in boxing history as one of the sport’s all-time greats if he can take care of Miguel Cotto and claim the WBO welterweight title.
Should he succeed, Pac Man will become the first fighter in boxing history to win a world title in seven weight divisions, having already taken belts at flyweight, light featherweight, featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight and light welterweight.
However, Pacquiao has a tough test on his hands against the strong and durable Puerto Rican hero Cotto, who proves a serious threat to the Filipino superstar.
Pacquiao is a hero in his homeland of the Philippines and has political aspirations when he retires from the ring, but it has been a rough road to the top for the fighter who began his paid boxing career while still a teenager.
Manny Pacquiao started his professional boxing career at the age of 16 at light flyweight (106lbs) on January 22, 1995. The first loss of his career came in his 12th fight when he suffered a third round knockout at the hands of Rustico Torrecampo. However, Pacquiao had not made the weight and was forced to use heavier gloves than his opponent which put him at a disadvantage.
Pacquiao settled at flyweight (112 lbs) and won the WBC title over Chatchai Sasakul in the eighth round, but lost the title in his second defence after being knocked out in the third round by Medgoen Singsurat.
The Filipino gained weight and moved up to super-bantamweight (122 lbs) where he won the WBC International Super Bantamweight title and was given a world title shot after defending the title five times.
On June 23, 2001 Pacquiao stepped in as a late replacement against IBF Super Bantamweight champion Lehlohonolo Ledwaba and won the fight by technical knockout to take the title. He defended his title five times before fighting to a sixth-round draw against Agapito Sanchez in a fight that was stopped early after Pacquiao was head butted twice.
Pacquiao was propelled to superstardom when he overcame Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera by a TKO in the 11th round in 2003. It was his first fight at featherweight and despite not being a world title bout, Ring Magazine recognised him as a world champion which he held until relinquishing it in 2005.
Six months after Barrera, Pacquiao went for another respected Mexican by fighting WBC and IBF Featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas. Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times in the first round, but lost most of the later rounds. The fight ended in a controversial draw after one judge later admitted making a mistake on the score cards by marking the first round 10-7 as opposed to the required 10-6 for three knockdowns.
Yet another Mexican legend was put in front of Pacquiao, this time up a weight at super featherweight and facing three-time division champion Erik Morales. Pacquiao lost the fight after 12 rounds by a unanimous decision at his first outing at the weight. A rematch was arranged with Morales, but not before Pacquiao knocked out Hector Velazquez to capture the WBC International Super Featherweight title on September 10, 2005.
The much anticipated rematch with Morales took place on January 21, 2006 and Pacquiao managed to defeat the Mexican via a tenth round knockout. In July of the same year, Pacquiao defeated two-time super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios, who moved up weight divisions to face the Filipino, by knocking down Larios twice in the last round to secure the victory.
On November 18, 2006 Pacquiao faced Morales for a third time as a decider as they each held one victory over the other. It was Pacquiao who shone on the night by knocking out the Mexican in the third round.
Next on his hit list was Jorge Solis who was knocked out in the sixth, his second time on the canvas in that round, despite Pacquiao suffering a head butt which left him with a cut under his eye. This was followed by the long awaited rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera which took place on October 6, 2007 and Pacquiao won a convincing unanimous points victory.
Despite being accused of avoiding undefeated WBO super flyweight champion Joan Guzman, Pacquiao opted for a rematch with Marquez called Unfinished Business, on March 15, 2008. The fight was a close, hard fought battle which ended in a split points decision in favour of Pac Man, who had dropped Marquez onto the canvas in the third round. Having won the Ring and WBC belts, Pacquiao entered the record books as the first Filipino to win three world titles at three different weight divisions.
There were immediate calls from Marquez’s camp for a rematch, but Pacquiao felt he had settled the score and moved up to lightweight to face reigning WBC champion Davis Diaz. By knocking out Diaz in the ninth round, Pacquiao won the WBC Lightweight title and with it became the first Filipino and Asian boxer to win four world titles at four weight divisions and the first to win a title at lightweight.
The Dream Match came when Pacquiao faced boxing superstar Oscar De La Hoya on December 6, 2008. The fight was to be held at welterweight (147 lbs) which many feared would disadvantage the Filipino as it was so far above his natural weight. However, Pacquiao out boxed De La Hoya for eight rounds before the Golden Boy threw in the towel.
Manny Pacquiao then moved down to light welterweight to take on Britain’s Ricky Hatton and succeeded in spectacular fashion with a second round knockout on May 2, 2009. Along with the win he claimed the IBO world title.
View profile of Miguel Cotto
