Manny Pacquiao

Emmanuel “Manny” D. Pacquiao is the very first Octuple Champion boxing star throughout the boxing history. He was able to attain eight titles for the different weight classes or divisions all over the world. He was also able to win lineal championships in four different weight divisions. Manny Pacquiao was known as Pac-Man, The Destroyer, Fighting Pride of the Philippines, The People’s Champ, and the Mexicutioner, where he fought and won against many great Mexican boxing stars. Pacquiao was the “Fighter of the Year” in 2006, 2008 and year 2009. In the current year, he is the WBO Welterweight World Champion. He is always on the top of the list in boxing or sporting news and websites.

This boxing star was raised in Bukidnon, Philippines and was born on the 17th of December, year 1978. He is the son of Rosalio Pacquiao and Dionesia D. Pacquiao, along with three brothers and two sisters, namely Rogelio, Alberto, also known as Bobby, Isidra, Domingo and Liza. Known as a religious Catholic, he is always seen making the sign of the cross before and after a boxing match. Pacquiao also attends a thanksgiving mass in the Quiapo Church every after a successful competition.

Manny Pacquiao’s amateur boxing career started when he was 14 years old with the Philippine National Amateur Boxing Team. He had a record of 64 fights.

It was for the death of Eugene Barutag, a close friend, which Pacquiao decided to pursue boxing as a professional boxer. The boxing star was 16 years old when he had his first fight and won under his professional boxing career against Edmund Ignacio. The two boxers fought under the light flyweight division. His first years in professional boxing did not go too well because he was not able to attain the required weight, though he trained hard and disciplined himself to improve it. He lost against Rustico Torrecampo by knockout in the third round.

He made his way undefeated in the flyweight division, and fought against more experience boxers, including Chokchai Chockvivat in which he attained the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation Flyweight title. It was Pacquiao’s chance to finally fight for a world boxing title. His first world title was the World Boxing Council (WBC) Flyweight world title, along with the Lineal title against Chatchai Sasakul. He lost the Lineal title against Medgoen “3K Battery” Singsurat.

After his fight against Singsurat, Pacquiao aimed for the WBC Super Bantamweight International Title, and was able to defend it five times in a row. His second world title is the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Junior Featherweight World Title. Freddie Roach became his trainer this time.

 
Manny Pacquiao became the first Asian to acquire titles for three different weight divisions in the world after winning the Ring Featherweight World Title against Marco Antonio Barrera in the year 2003.
 
Pacquiao’s match against Juan Manuel Marquez after Barrera for the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Federation Featherweight World Titles was known to result with a very controversial decision, where one of the judges admitted he made a mistake with the scores.
 
The boxing star lost a match against Erik Morales for the super featherweight title in the year 2005. On the following month, Pacquiao fought again next to Hector Velazquez where he got the WBC Super Featherweight International Title. Pacquiao and Morales had a rematch the following year, where Pacquiao won by knockout. Their third fight was made on November 18 of the same year, where Pacquiao won again by another knockout.
 
Two years after, year 2008, Manny Pacquiao won against David Diaz and got the WBC Lightweight World Title, which became his fifth world title. In the same year, he fought against Oscar De La Hoya for the welterweight division. Manny Pacquiao won by technical knockout.
 
His sixth world title was against Ricky Hatton. This time, Pacquiao was the second boxer to acquire six division titles. He attained the International Boxing Organization Junior Welterweight and Ring Junior Welterweight World Title.
 
His eight world boxing title was taken from Antonio Margarito in the year 2010, for the WBC Super Welterweight World Title. He won against Margarito by unanimous decision. He was able to defend his title under the welterweight division against Shane Mosley on their fight on May 7, 2011.