MANNY PACQUIAO PROFILE AND BIO

At the age of 30, Manny is a 14-year pro. He has been fighting at the top levels of competition and given some of the most sensational performances in the ring in recent years.

Manny is also recognized by most observers as the best fighter at any weight in the ring today – the best “Pound for Pound.”
He is a national hero in his native Philippines – the entire country of over 96 million people comes to a virtual standstill to watch whenever he fights.

Manny is coming off of an electrifying second-round knockout win against former IBF jr. welterweight and WBA welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton in his last fight on May 2.

The Associated Press’ Tim Dahlberg reported from ringside [excerpts]: He didn’t just beat Hatton. Didn’t just knock him out.
He demolished a world class fighter who had never lost at his natural weight of 140 pounds, and he did it with such precision and ease that the talk afterward wasn’t whether Pacquiao is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, but whether he might be one of the best ever.

A right hook – a punch most southpaws don’t even have – started it all, dropping Hatton midway through the first round. A left cross that may be one of the greatest single punches ever thrown in a big fight ended it with a dramatic flourish.

When it was over, Hatton was sprawled motionless on his back in the center of the ring. Pacquiao and his corner were celebrating and the sellout crowd was trying to digest what they had just seen.

Boxing has a new king in an unassuming fighter so good that he won his last four fights in four different weight classes. [End Dahlberg item]

Dan Rafael wrote on ESPN.com [excerpts]:  With one thunderous left hand, Manny Pacquiao smashed his way into boxing immortality.

Anyone doubt his pound-for-pound No. 1 perch now? Shoot, anyone doubt his place as one of boxing’s best ever?
The Filipino icon destroyed Ricky Hatton in two crushing rounds to make boxing history before 16,262 at the sold out and electric MGM Grand Garden Arena.

It’s something those of us who saw it shouldn’t soon forget because it may be a long time until we see something like this again.

In stunningly disposing of Hatton in ruthless fashion, Pacquiao matched Oscar De La Hoya’s record of winning titles in six weight divisions. But more important, by adding Hatton’s lineal junior welterweight championship to his growing collection, Pacquiao added a fourth lineal title, the first fighter to do that in boxing history. (Granted, there are more divisions now than there were back in the era of fighters such as Sugar Ray Robinson.)

In plain terms, PacMan has been ‘the man” in four divisions, the clear champion in a morass of titleholders at flyweight, featherweight, junior lightweight and now junior welterweight. Toss in belts at junior featherweight and lightweight – and wins against elite opponents – and you have a great fighter.

It was almost laughable how easy it was for Pacquiao, who was fighting at junior welterweight for the first time in his career after dropping down from welterweight, where he fought in December and destroyed and retired De La Hoya.

It also happened to be Pacquiao’s fourth consecutive win in a fourth different division. It seems as though there is nothing he can’t do. [End Rafael item]

Fightwriter.com’s Graham Houston reported [excerpts]: The booming left hand from the Filipino’s southpaw style that dropped Hatton flat on his back produced one of the most vivid one-punch finishes I have ever seen.

I am now thinking that Pacquiao might be one of the all-time greats, a world champion at flyweight, junior featherweight, junior lightweight and lightweight and now the world’s best at junior welter.

Pacquiao amazingly appeared to move to another level. A good fighter was made to look like an amateur by a boxer who is not just exceptional but borderline phenomenal.

Whenever displays of devastating punching are discussed, this one will surely rank near the top. [End Houston item]

In his previous fight on December 6, 2008, Manny scored the biggest win of his career – a dominant eighth-round TKO against former jr. lightweight, lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, two-time super welterweight, and middleweight world champion Oscar De La Hoya – the biggest name in the sport over the last two decades and a certain future Hall of Famer himself.

Against De La Hoya, Manny was considered a huge underdog by most observers – and the fight a mismatch – because of their extreme difference in size. Boxing’s conventional wisdom says that, “A good big man beats a good small man.”

After the fight, Dan Rafael wrote: Pacquiao stunningly administered a beat down of epic proportions. De La Hoya…was never in the fight for a moment.

Pacquiao…won his third fight of the year in his third weight division, including winning two titles. The victory makes Pacquiao something of a modern-day Henry Armstrong, the all-time great pound-for-pound legend who over the course of 10 months from October, 1937, to August, 1938, claimed, in order, the world featherweight, welterweight and lightweight championships – when there were only eight divisions. [End Rafael item]
Manny had made his mark in boxing history, however, even before beating De La Hoya.

He has held world titles in four weight divisions – he won the WBC flyweight world title two weeks before his 20th birthday in December, 1998, the IBF jr. featherweight world title at 22 in 2001.

Manny won the WBC super featherweight world title in March, 2008, with a 12 round decision victory in the rematch against defending champion Juan Manuel Marquez. It was one of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year, and one of the most exciting.

He won the WBC lightweight world title in June, 2008, with a ninth-round TKO against defending champion David Diaz.

KEY FIGHTS

2009

 in his last fight in May, he knocked out former IBF jr. welterweight and WBA welterweight world champion Ricky Hatton (45-1). Manny quickly overwhelmed Hatton scoring two knockdowns in the 1st round – the first with a right hook, the second with a left hand. He scored another knockdown with a left hand that dropped Hatton flat on his back, out cold, late in the 2nd round and the referee stopped the fight at 2:59. Aafter the fight, Manny said, “I’m surprised this fight was so easy, but I did work hard since the beginning of March in training camp. Nothing personal. I am just doing my job, but this is as big a victory for me as when I beat Oscar De La Hoya. He was wide open for the right hook. I knew he would be looking for my left. That’s why we worked on the right.”

2008

WON by TKO on December 6, 2008 against former WBO jr. lightweight, WBO and IBF lightweight, WBC super lightweight, welterweight, and two-time super welterweight, and WBO middleweight world champion Oscar De La Hoya (39-5). De La Hoya was a 2-1 favorite to win, but Manny dominated the fight. De La Hoya won the 1st round on one judge’s scorecard, but none after that. Manny kept him off-balance with movement, consistently outworked him, and rocked him with hard left hands in every round; Manny rocked De La Hoya repeatedly in the 7th round – which two judges scored 10-8 for him – and De La Hoya’s left eye was swollen shut. De La Hoya did not continue after the 8th round; after eight rounds, Manny led by near-shutout scores of 80-71, 80-71, 79-72. After the fight, Manny said, “I was able to defend against his jab and he wasn’t able to connect, and I was able to connect with everything. Speed was the answer to this fight. The only thing I was surprised by was that my trainer picked the round we would win in.”

WON WBC L WORLD TITLE on 6-28-08 in Las Vegas, NV, he TKO’d lefthanded defending champion David Diaz (34-1-1): the fight headlined at Mandalay Bay; Diaz, a 1996 U.S. Olympian, gave a tremendous effort, but Manny dominated the entire fight and gave him a severe beating; he rocked Diaz repeatedly and cut him badly over his right eye in the 4th round; Manny scored a knockdown with a left hand that dropped Diaz face-first to the canvas, and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:24; after eight rounds, Manny led by scores of 80-71, 80-71, 80-72; after the fight, Manny said, “I feel much stronger and more powerful at 135. This is where I plan to stay. Diaz caught a lot of punches. I’m surprised he didn’t go down earlier. It’s hard to fight a southpaw, but I jabbed, jabbed to set him up for the knockout.”

WON WBC SF WORLD TITLE – On March 15, 2008 in Las Vegas, NV, Manny won a 12 round split decision in the rematch against defending champion Juan Manuel Marquez (48-3-1): it was a fast-paced, exciting fight and the momentum shifted back and forth; Manny swept the 1st round on all three scorecards, but Marquez came back, staggered him with a right hand-left hook combination in the 2nd, and swept the round; Manny scored a knockdown with left hand that dropped Marquez flat on his back late in the 3rd round, rocked Marquez again later in the round and won the round 10-8 on all three scorecards, then swept the 4th round on all three scorecards, as well; Marquez rallied and swept the 5th, 7th, and 8th rounds, but was nicked over his right eye in the 5th, and cut badly over the same eye by a clash of heads in the 7th; Manny was also cut badly over his right eye; Manny staggered Marquez with a left hand early in the 10th round, then rocked him against with series of punches moments later and swept the round, but Marquez finished the fight very strongly – he swept the 11th round and won the 12th on two scorecards; scored 115-112, 114-113 Pacquiao, 115-112 Marquez.

2007

5TH WBC INTERNATIONAL SF TITLE DEFENSE – on 10-6-07 in Las Vegas, NV, he won a 12 round unanimous decision in the rematch against 33 year-old former three-time WBO jr. featherweight, IBF jr. lightweight and WBC super featherweight world champion Marco Antonio Barrera (63-5): the bout headlined at Mandalay Bay and drew a crowd of 10,112, and Manny dominated the fight; Barrera had his moments – he rocked Manny with a right hand in the 3rd round and scored with a hard left hook and left uupercut in the 5th, but Manny pressed forward and consistently outworked him; Manny staggered Barrera and cut him under his right eye in the 11th round, and Barrera was penalized one point for punching on a break later in the round after he staggered Manny with a right hand; scored 118-109, 118-109, 115-112; after the fight, Manny said, ““It was a good fight, and it was different from the first fight. He’s a good, smart boxer. I’m satisfied with the result. I knew he would have to box me this time around. I thought the people were happy with that fight. I’m trying to make people happy, to give a good fight. I hope that people liked this fight tonight. We did our best. I was careful in this fight. He’s still a good fighter. I was just lucky in the first fight that it happened like that.”.

4TH WBC INTERNATIONAL SF TITLE DEFENSE – in his last fight on 4-14-07 in San Antonio, TX, he knocked out Jorge Solis (32-0-2): The early rounds were tactical and close, and both were effective at times; Manny was cut over his left eye by a clash of heads in the 6th round, but rocked Solis later in the round; Manny stepped up his pace in the 7th round, then scored two knockdowns in the 8th – both with left hands – and he was counted out at 1:16; after the fight, Manny said, “In the early rounds I took it easy, but when I got a cut I was throwing more combinations and pretty soon I knocked him out.”.

2006

3RD WBC INTERNATIONAL SF TITLE DEFENSE – in his last fight on 11-18-06 in Las Vegas, NV, he knocked out former WBC super bantamweight, two-time featherweight, and super featherweight world champion Erik Morales (48-4): the fight headlined at the Thomas & Mack Center and drew an announced crowd of 18,276; Morales gave a tremendous effort, but Manny gave a sensational performance, dominated the fight, and quickly overpowered him; Manny rocked Morales with a right hook in the 1st round and scored a knockdown with a straight left hand in the 2nd; Manny staggered Morales, then scored a knockdown with a series of punches in the 3rd round – Morales came back with a furious attack and rocked Manny, but Manny scored another knockdown and Morales was counted out at 2:57;

2ND WBC INTERNATIONAL SF TITLE DEFENSE – on 7-2-06 in Manila, PHIL, he won a 12 round unanimous decision against former WBC super bantamweight world champion Oscar Larios (56-4-1): the fight headlined at the historic Araneta Coliseum, the site of the “Thrilla in Manila” in 1975; Larios had some early success and staggered Manny in the 3rd round, but Manny came back and cut Larios over the left eye later in the round; several rounds were close, but Manny had the edge in most and and gave Larios a severe beating; Manny scored one knockdown in the 7th round and another in the 12th, and won by scores of 120-106, 118-108, 117-111; after the fight, Manny said, “Their plan was for me to finish the match early, but my plan was that I would not rush, as long as I’m ahead on points. Sometimes if you rush, you may have a problem, because he can squeeze in a punch.”…

1ST WBC INTERNATIONAL SF TITLE DEFENSE – on 1-21-06 in Las Vegas he TKO’d defending champion Erik Morales (48-3): the rematch headlined at the Thomas & Mack Center, and drew announced crowd of 14,618; it was an exciting fight, and both gave tremendous efforts; the early rounds were close, but Morales rallied and swept rounds three through five on all three scorecards and after five rounds, led by scores of 49-46, 48-47, 48-47; but Manny came on strongly in the 6th – he consistently landed the harder punches and swept rounds six through nine on all three scorecards; Manny scored two knockdowns in the 10th – the first with a straight left hand, the second after a series of punches – and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 2:33; after nine rounds, Manny led by scores of 86-85, 87-84, 87-84; after the fight, Manny said, “The first fight was tough for me to go to the body because I had the bloody eye. The big difference is that I could see, I could see his punches coming. I saw I hurt him every time I hit him in the body. I wasn’t expecting to knock him out. I was lucky that I was to get to his body and his head.”..; Dan Rafael of ESPN.com reported, “Pacquiao…put on a spectacular performance in a sensational action fight.”

2005

2005 – WON VACANT WBC INTERNATIONAL SF TITLE – on 9-10-05 in Los Angeles, CA, he TKO’d Hector Velazquez (42-10-2): Velazquez started fast and gave a good effort, but Manny outworked Velazquez, landed the harder punches, and dominated most of the fight; Manny staggered Velazquez with a right hook in the 6th round, then scored a knockdown moments later; Velazquez got up at the count of eight, but the referee stopped the fight at 2:59; after five rounds, Manny led by scores of 49-46, 49-46, 48-47; after the fight, Manny said, “This is exactly what we trained for. It was the body shots that set him up for the K.O.”

On 3-19-05 in Las Vegas, NV, lost a 12 round unanimous decision against former WBC super bantamweight, featherweight, and super featherweight world champion Erik Morales (47-2): it was one of the most highly-anticipated fights of the year, and it was boxing at its best; the event drew a capacity crowd of 14,623 to the MGM Grand, and it was a ferocious battle that repeatedly brought the fans to their feet; it was a very close fight, and the momentum shifted back and forth – Manny started fast and won the first and third rounds on all three scorecards, but Morales weathered the early storm and rallied in the middle and late rounds; Morales won the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds on two scorecards, then the eighth, tenth, and eleventh on all three; Manny was cut over the right eye in the 5th round – ruled by a punch – but he won the seventh round on two scorecards, and swept the ninth and twelfth; both stood toe-to-toe in the final round and punched nonstop until the bell; all three judges scored the fight 115-113; after the fight, Manny said, “I couldn’t see out of one eye, and it was very hard. If I am not cut on one eye, I think I can knock him out. But I did my best and gave everyone a good fight.”

2004

December: Won by TKO IBF featherweight eliminator for the number 2 spot against Fahsan Thawatchai. Pacquiao scored one knockdown in the 2nd round, another in the 3rd, and two in the 4th. The referee stopped the fight without a count at 1:26 in the 4th.

May: : Fought to a 12-round draw in IBF/WBA Featherweight World Title Challenge against defending champion, Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacquiao scored three knockdowns in the 1st round. In spite of Marquez’s badly injured and bleeding nose during most of the fight, he showed tremendous heart and determination and gradually recovered and boxed effectively for much of the fight. He rocked Manny and cut him over the right eye in the fifth and staggered him in the sixth. The momentum went back and forth in an exciting second half of the fight. Pacquiao landed the harder punches but Marquez kept a busier pace.

2003

November: Won by TKO against former three-time WBO junior featherweight world champion, Marco Antonio Barrera. Barrera was considered by many observers to be the world’s best featherweight and was a 4-1 favorite to win, but Manny gave a sensational performance. Replays showed that he was tripped when a punch was thrown in the first round resulting in a knockdown. Pacquiao dominated the rest of the fight scoring a knockdown in the third round, and then rocked Barrera with several punches later in the round. He relentlessy pressured Barrera and landed the harder punches and wearing him down. Barrera’s left eye was swollen in the 4th round and he was cut over the same eye by a clash of heads in the seventh. Barrera was also penalized one point for punching on the break in the ninth. Pacquiao scored another knockdown in the eleventh round; Barrera got up, but Manny rocked him with a series of punches and Barrera’s corner stopped the fight at 2:56.

July: Won 4th IBF Junior Featherweight World Title Defense by TKO against undefeated Emmanuel Lucero in a spectacular one-punch knockout. Lucero was an awkward opponent who pressed forward, dipped almost to the canvas at times and lunged at Manny with wide punches. Manny landed a single left hand in the 3rd round that sent Lucero staggering across the ring, out on his feet and the referee stopped the figh.

March: Won by TKO against Serik Eshmagametov. Manny scored a knockdown in the 1st round, but Eshmagametov rallied and scored a knockdown in the fourth. Manny came back strongly and scored two knockdowns in the 5th round. The referee stopped the fight at 1:52.

2002

October: Won 3rd IBF Junior Featherweight World Title Defense by TKO against Fahproakob Sithkwenim. Pacquiao scored four knockdowns in the first round and the referee stopped the fight.

June: Won 2nd IBF Junior Featherweight World Title Defense by TKO against Jorge Julio in a co-featured bout under the Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson main event. Manny scored two knockdowns early in the 2nd round and bloodied Julio’s nose. Julio got up both times, but Manny rocked him again and the referee stopped the fight.

October: Fought to a technical draw in 1st IBF Junior Featherweight World Title defense against WBO world champion Agapito Sanchez. In a dirty fight with continuous mauling and repeated fouls, Manny was cut over the right eye in the second round by a clash of heads and later on the left ear. Sanchez was penalized one point in the third for pushing the laces of his gloves against Manny’s cut and another point in the fourth for low blows. The fight went to the scorecards when the referee stopped the fight on Manny’s cut eye in the sixth round.

2001

1ST IBF JF WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 10-11-01 in San Francisco, CA, he had a technical draw against WBO world champion Agapito Sanchez (33-7-1). It was a very dirty fight with continuous mauling and repeated fouls; Manny was cut badly over the right eye in the 2nd round by a clash of heads, and later on the left ear; Sanchez was penalized one point in the 3rd round for pushing the laces of his gloves against Manny’s cut, and another point in the 4th for low blows. Sanchez was also cut over his left eye in the 5th; the referee stopped the fight on Manny’s cut at 1:20 of the 6th round and went to the scorecards – 58-54 Pacquiao, 57-55 Sanchez, 56-56.

WON IBF JF WORLD TITLE – on 6-23-01 he TKO’d defending champion Lehlohonolo Ledwaba (33-1-1). Manny took the fight on two weeks’ notice and gave an sensational performance – he bloodied Ledwaba’s nose in the 1st round, knocked him down in the 2nd, then rocked him several times in the 3rd and 4th. Manny scored two more knockdowns in the 6th, and the referee stopped the fight without a count at 0:59.

4TH WBC INTERNATIONAL JF DEFENSE – on 4-28-01, he TKO’d Kumanpetch Kiatvoraphong (38-2). Manny was floored by low blows two times in the 4th round, and one time in the 5th, and Kumanpetch was penalized one point; but Manny came back strong in the 6th – he staggered Kumanpetch with a right hand, then rocked him with a series of punches, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:46.

3RD WBC INTERNATIONAL JF DEFENSE –on 2-24-01, he TKO’d Cholho Kang (19-4-3). Manny stopped him at 1:06 of the 5th round.

2000

October: Won 2nd WBC International Junior Featherweight Defense by TKO against previously undefeated British Commonwealth Champion, Nadel Hussein. The aggressive Hussein scored a knockdown in the 4th round but was also penalized one point. Manny came back in the fifth round and cut Hussein over and under his left eye. The fight was eventually stopped on the cuts in the tenth round.

1ST WBC INTERNATIONAL JF DEFENSE – on 6-28-00, he TKO’d previously undefeated Sungkwon Chae (23-0): at 1:42 of the 1st round.

1999

WON WBC INTERNATIONAL JF TITLE – on 12-18-99. He TKO’d former Philippines champion and world title challenger Reynante Jamili (41-5). Manny scored three knockdowns, and stopped Jamili in the 2nd round.

LOST WBC FL WORLD TITLE – on 9-17-99 by knockout against Medgoen Lukchaopormasak (19-0). Manny lost the title at the weigh-in when he did not make weight, and Medgoen won the vacant title. Medgoen knocked down Manny with a body punch in the 3rd round, and he was counted out at 1:32.

1ST WBC FL WORLD TITLE DEFENSE – on 4-23-99 he knocked out Gabriel Mira (19-7-1). Mira started fast and rocked Manny two times in the 2nd round, but Manny rallied to knock down Mira later in the round. Manny scored another knockdown in the 3rd, and three more in the 4th, and the referee stopped the fight at 2:45.

1998

1998 – WON WBC FL WORLD TITLE – on 12-4-98 in Phuttamonthon, TH, he knocked out defending champion Chatchai Sasakul (33-1): it was a spectacular one-punch knockout; Sasakul dominated the early rounds with his speed, skill, and sharp combination punching, but Manny rocked him in the 4th round; Sasakul recovered quickly and continued to box effectively, but Manny knocked down Sasakul with a single left hand in the 8th round, and he was counted out at 2:54; after seven rounds, Sasakul led by scores of 70-64, 69-64, 68-65.

WON OPBF FL TITLE – on 6-27-97 in Manila he knocked out Chokchai Chokwiwat: in the 5th round.

He debuted at the age of 16 on 1-22-95.