ABOUT MANNY PACQUIAO  »

Recognized as one of the world’s most exciting boxers to date, Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is a Filipino professional boxer and the reigning WBC Lightweight Champion. He is the first Filipino and Asian boxer to hold four championships belt in four different weight divisions. Before moving up to Lightweight, Pacquiao was the former WBC Super Featherweight Champion, IBF Super Bantamweight champion, and WBC Flyweight Champion. In addition, he was Ring Magazine’s Super Featherweight and Featherweight champion as well. He currently holds a record of 47 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws with 36 wins coming by way of knock outs.

Starting his career at the age of 16, Manny’s exciting boxing prowess was first noticed when he won his first title in 2001 when he competed as a last minute replacement. He also earned the respect of sports fanatics when he won over Mexicans Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales. Pacquiao is also admired as the first boxer to ever defeat another Mexican, Jorge Solis.  Last March 15, 2008, Pacquiao defeated Juan Manuel Marquez and grabbed his WBC Super Featherweight title. Barely three months after, Pacquiao once again entered the boxing ring and won his fourth championship belt – the WBC Lightweight championship – after stopping David Diaz via knock-out in the ninth round of their match on June 28, 2008. He is next scheduled to meet six-time boxing champ, Oscar “The Golden Boy” De La Hoya on December 6 in Las Vegas, in a lucrative bout dubbed “The Dream Match”.

In 2007, he received the prestigious Ring Magazine’s Fighter of the Year Award for 2006. This award is given to a boxer who has by his conduct and fighting qualities “earned the esteem of the sports public.” He was also named Fighter of the Year for 2006 by ESPN and Boxing Writers Association of America for having won all of his three fights that year. Manny is also a four-time Athlete of the Year Awardee of the Philippine Sportswriters Association.

Currently the most popular athlete in the Philippines and one of the most visible figures in the local media through several endorsement deals, Pacquiao’s career is being followed not only by his fellow Filipinos but also of other boxing fans throughout the world.

To know more about Manny Pacquiao, you may visit the following web sites: Pacland www.mannypacquiao.ph Philippine Boxing Forum www.philboxing.com