Manny Pacquiao

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Manny Pacquiao Statistics Real name Emmanuel Pacquiao Nickname "Pacman", "The Desroyer","Ang Pambansang Kamao" Weight Super featherweight Nationality Filipino Birth date December 17, 1978 Birth place Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines Death date N/A Death place N/A Style Southpaw Boxing record Total fights 49 Wins 44 Wins by KO 34 Losses 3 Draws 2 No contests 0

Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, a.k.a "The Destroyer", "Pacman" or the "Ang Pambansang Kamao" (The National Fist) as he is referred in the Philippines is the reigning World Boxing Council (WBC) International Super Featherweight Champion from 2005 up to present. He was also the former International Boxing Federation Bantamweight Champion (2001-2003) and former WBC Flyweight Champion (1998 to 1999). He has a record of 42 wins (with 35 wins coming by way of knockout), 3 losses, and 2 draws. Furthermore, he was also the RING People's Featherweight Champion from 2003 to 2005.

Manny was born on December 17, 1978 in the province of Bukidnon, Philippines. Born in a poor family, Manny was forced to commit a job in a local bakery at an early age. He rose from being a bread vendor to become a baker, however this humble job did not limit him to become a world champion.

Early Career

Manny Pacquiao started his boxing career at 106 pounds in 1995, with his first sanctioned fight against a fellow Filipino Emund Ignacio in Mindoro Occidental, Philippines. His bouts were usually televised in local Filipino channel titled "Blow by Blow" wherein he became a local favorite to number of Filipino boxing enthusiasts. In 1997, he won the OPBF Flyweight Title to Chokchai Chockvivat, and in 1998 he acquired the WBC Flyweight Title against Chartchai Sasakul in Bangkok, Thailand. After almost a year, his WBC title was snatched by another Thai named Medgoen Singsurat in Pakpanag Metropolian Stadium, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.

Following his loss to Singsurat, Pacquiao gained weight anew, this time stopping at the super bantamweight division of 122 lb (55 kg) where he picked up the WBC International Super Bantamweight title (against Reynante Jamili, Filipino), defending it five times before his next world title fight came.

After his success in the Super Bantamwieght Division for 2 years, Manny got his initial big break in 2001 when he won the title IBF Super Bantamweight Title against a South African Lehlohonolo Ledwaba in MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. From then on, he defended the title four times in the period of two years.

The Rise of the Pacman

After his new found success in the IBF Super Bantamweight Division, Manny went on to the limeligh of his career as a professional boxer. In November 11, 2003, He defeated Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico and earned the People's Featherweight Title in a TKO in the 11th round at the Alamodome, San Antonio, TX, USA. After only six months from his win over Barrera, Pacquiao went on to challenge another respected Mexican brawler, Juan Manuel Márquez, holder of the World Boxing Association (WBA) and International Boxing Federation (IBF) Featherweight titles in the MGM Grand ended in a controversial draw after he knocked down Márquez three times on the first round.

Returning to the Philppines, Manny faced another challenge as he faced Fahsan (3K Battery) Por Thawachai for the IBF Featherweight Title Eliminator. In this fight, he showed his boxing prowess by sending Por Thawatchai to the canvas three times en route to a knockout in the fourth round. His powerful left uppercut to made his opponent lift his two feet off the canvas and ended the fight.

Again, in 2005, Pacquiao went on to fight another Mexican Hall of Famer Erik "El Terrible" Morales in a WBC Super Featherweight International Title match. However, Pacquiao lost the 12 round match by a unanimous decision from the judges, and due to a cut in the right eye caused by unintentional headbutts from his opponent which he sustained for the rest of the bout.

On September 10, 2005, Manny Pacquiao knocked out Hector Velázquez, capturing the WBC International Super Featherweight title in the process on a fight held at Staples Center, Los Angeles, California.

Last January of 2006, Pacquiao went one-on-one again against Morales, but this time he snatched the WBC title in a TKO at round 10. In the succeeding months, Oscar Larios challenged him for the title that ended in a Unanimous Decision in favor of Pacquiao after 12 rounds of action. The fight happened last June 2, 2006 at the Araneta Coliseum, Philippines.

Lastly, on November 23, 2006 at the Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, USA, the "Pacman" defended his title against his 3rd time opponent Eric Morales. Pacquiao walked away victorious in a 3-round knockout vitory.