Connect with us

Boxing

What you should know about Manny Pacquiao, Asia’s rags to riches champion

Published

on

Manny Pacquiao (right) fights against Cuba’s Yordenis Ugas during the WBA Welterweight Championship boxing match in Las Vegas on Aug 21, 2021. PHOTO: AFP

Manny Pacquiao, one of the most decorated fighters in world boxing, announced his retirement from the sport on Wednesday (Sept 29) to concentrate on a run for the presidency of the Philippines.

Below are some facts about Pacquiao:

1. Humble beginnings

Pacquiao was born in 1978 in Kibawe, in the southern province of Bukidnon. He is one of six siblings raised in a single-parent family and lived in a shack. He quit school at 10.

His full name is Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao and he is known in boxing by the nickname Pacman and in the Philippines as “Pambansang Kamao” (The National Fist).

He was introduced by a relative to boxing in General Santos City at age 12 and took part in street fights where the winner received 100 pesos (S$2.67) and the loser, 50 pesos. “I heard that when you fight, even when you lose, you have money,” he said in 2015, recalling why he took up boxing.

When he was 14, he was a stowaway on a boat bound for the capital Manila, where he lived on the streets and did construction jobs to earn money to send home.

Advertisement

His talent as a boxer was recognised early on and at age 16, he became a junior professional. Filipinos became familiar with him from bouts carried live on television.

2. Career takes off

He won his first major title in 1998, age 19, with his World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title knockout of Thai Chatchai Sasakul, in Thailand, a title he retained five months later against Mexican Gabriel Mira.

On his 21st birthday, Pacquiao added the vacant WBC international super bantamweight title, which he defended five times in the 17 months that followed.

In June 2001, he added the International Boxing Federation (IBF) super bantamweight title on his United States debut at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada, the venue for most of his fights in the following two decades.

In the past 20 years, Pacquiao has fought in the Philippines only four times.

Advertisement

3. Best pound for pound fighter

Pacquiao is known for his fast footwork and blistering speed of punches, and is widely regarded as one of the top offensive fighters in the sport’s history.

As the only fighter to win world titles in eight different weight divisions, many consider him the best pound-for-pound boxer of all time. The late boxing historian Bert Sugar rated Pacquiao the best southpaw – a left-hander who leads with the right – that ever lived.

Veteran promoter Bob Arum in 2010 said Pacquiao was unmatched, and rated him better than Muhammad Ali. “His left and right hand hit with equal power and that is what destroys his opponents,” Arum told Reuters.

4. Politics and money

Pacquiao had a net worth of 3.2 billion pesos (S$85.5 million) at the end of 2020, according to his statement of assets and liabilities. His 2015 encounter with Floyd Mayweather remains the best-selling pay-per-view (PPV) fight in boxing history, grossing US$410 million (S$556 million), and his 24 PPV bouts have generated 20 million buys.

A photo from March 6, 2017, shows Manny Pacquiao during a senate hearing in Manila. PHOTO: AFP

Pacquiao has juggled his boxing career with one in domestic politics, albeit with frequent absences while preparing for fights. In 2010, he won a seat in Congress at the second attempt and was reelected three years later, despite having one of the worst attendance records in the house.

In 2016, he won a seat in the higher-profile Senate, where he co-authored a Bill to repeal the death penalty and steadfastly backed President Rodrigo Duterte’s bloody war on drugs, a campaign condemned by the international community for killing thousands of mostly urban, poor Filipinos.

Advertisement

In a 2016 interview with Reuters, Pacquiao admitted to having as a youth experimented for years with “all kinds of drugs”.

He landed himself in hot water during campaigning for the senate, when he said gay couples were “worse than animals”, resulting in sports giant Nike terminating its contract with him, despite Pacquiao apologising for the remark, which saw his opinion poll rating drop.

Earlier this month, he announced he would run for the presidency, a move analysts say could be his toughest fight yet.

-Reuters

Advertisement

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Boxing

Fury furiously vows to go ‘destroy mode’ in rematch with Usyk

Published

on

Tyson Fury v Oleksandr Usyk - Kingdom Arena, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - May 19, 2024 Tyson Fury during press conference Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge/File Photo

Briton Tyson Fury said he will throw caution to the wind when he faces heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk and aim for a knockout victory in their rematch.

In their first bout in May, Fury hit his stride in the fourth round and engaged in some showmanship as he caught Usyk with vicious body shots, but the Ukrainian battled back and turned the tide in the eighth round.

Usyk’s powerful punches to the head left Fury reeling and the previously undefeated boxer struggled through the final rounds of the fight before losing by split decision and relinquishing his WBC heavyweight championship.

The rematch will take place on Dec. 21 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with the WBC, WBO and WBA titles on the line.

“I’m going to go in there with destroy mode. Last time I went to box him, I was being cautious. I boxed the head right off him,” Fury told TNT Sports on Saturday.

Advertisement

“Let’s talk facts. Anyone can get caught, as we’ve seen in a lot of these heavyweight fights, but this time I’m not going for a points decision.”

Fury added that he is still keen on facing fellow Briton Anthony Joshua, despite the former champion’s knockout defeat at the hands of Daniel Dubois in an IBF title fight last month.

Joshua and Fury had been set to face off in a proposed ‘Battle of Britain’ bout in 2022, but the fight fell through.

“At the end of the day, it would be a travesty if we didn’t fight,” Fury said.

“No matter if he loses 20 more fights. If he doesn’t win another fight and has 10 years away from the game, it doesn’t matter, we have to fight.”

Advertisement

-Reuters

Continue Reading

Boxing

Anthony Joshua addresses retirement talk

Published

on

After Saturday’s night defeat to Daniel Dubois, Anthony Joshua’s boxing career looked heading to an end as the former two-time world champion was knocked out in the fifth round of their heavyweight bout at Wembley Stadium.

 But a determined Joshua has said that he would not quit easily. He has played down any talk of retirement following his defeat.

 His defeat ended any immediate hope of becoming a three-time world champion. A British-record crowd of over 96,000 people saw Dubois retain his IBF World Heavyweight title with a victory that shocked the boxing world

The 27-year-old put in a dominant performance, flooring Anthony Joshua in the first round with a strong overhand right that he never truly recovered from.

Despite coming forward in the fifth round with a big straight right-hand, Dubois countered with devastating knockout blow.

Advertisement

“Always walk with your head high, we rolled the dice, for the third time, 13 world title fights, not every one has been successful, but they’ve all been fun and entertaining,” Joshua was quoted by Independent as saying.

 He was talking about  his future. “You’re probably asking if I still want to consider fighting? Of course I want to continue fighting.

“We took a shot at success and we came up short. What does that mean now? That we’re going to run away? We’re going to live to fight another day. And that’s what I am – I’m a warrior.

“There were a few mistakes in there but that’s the name of the game. Fine margins will cost you at the top level.

“Also before I finish, we have to give credit our opponent Daniel. When I sign up to fight opponents, I don’t really like them in my head any more. But now that it’s done, I take my hat off to him and say well done.”

Advertisement

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, according to Manchester Evening News,  admitted this was the first time he’d seen the former two-time world champion hurt during their 11-years working together.

“It’s probably the only time in his whole career I’ve seen him really hurt, it’s not bad, having won two world championships and 13 world title fights, to the point he couldn’t get up,” Hearn added.

“It’s the first time in his career that he’s been properly hurt, you never want to carry on too long, but AJ doesn’t have many miles on the clock. When Ben comes to me and says, ‘he doesn’t look the same fighter any more’, and AJ will make that decision.

“We’ve seen the best AJ over the last year, it’s difficult to say that’s it. These are the closing chapters of his career. We have another fight with RS, Dubois is part of that plan. So too is Tyson Fury or another heavyweight. 2025 is going to be an interesting year for Joshua, against whoever, you’ll be entertained.

“Our interests are that he leaves this sport with legacy, money and his health in tact, knocked out like that you have to look at that. That was just a shot, trading with a huge right hand, it doesn’t matter who you are, you’re getting knocked out.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Boxing

How dynamite Daniel Dubois demolished Anthony Joshua to retain IBF heavyweight belt

Published

on

 Daniel Dubois v Anthony Joshua - IBF World Heavyweight Title - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - September 21, 2024 Anthony Joshua in action against Daniel Dubois Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge

Britain’s Daniel Dubois destroyed Anthony Joshua’s dream of becoming a three times heavyweight world champion with a fifth-round knockout to retain his IBF belt at a packed Wembley Stadium on Saturday.

Dubois dropped his compatriot to the canvas in the opening round with a stinging right, the referee delivering a standing eight count, and the 27-year-old proceeded to tear up the pre-fight predictions as swiftly as he ripped into his opponent.

Joshua, 34, took another hammering in round two but managed to ride out the storm before round three came crashing down around him again.

With Dubois landing more fizzing right-handers, Joshua was literally on the ropes before being saved by the bell.

He could barely stand at the end of the fourth, after going down again with two minutes remaining, and then it was all over in the fifth with the painstaking rebuilding of his career suddenly in ruins.

Advertisement

After landing a few promising blows, any signs of a fightback faded with a right to the chin that sent Joshua down, the former IBF, WBA and IBO champion this time unable to get back on his feet.

“I’ve only got a few words to say: Are you not entertained?,” declared Dubois after the biggest win, and first at Wembley, of a 24-fight career with two defeats.

“I’m a gladiator, I’m a warrior to the bitter end. I want to get to the top level of this game and reach my full potential.

“I’ve been on a rollercoaster ride. This is my time, this is my redemption story, and I’m not going to stop until I reach my full potential.”

RECORD CROWD

Organisers said a British post-World War Two record of 96,000 spectators attended the Saudi-funded fight at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Advertisement

Among them were Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, singing three songs on his 52nd birthday ahead of a reunion next year, and Ukraine’s WBC, WBA and WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk.

Usyk has beaten both Joshua and Dubois already and will fight Britain’s Tyson Fury, also present, in a rematch in Saudi Arabia in December.

Joshua might have hoped to have a crack at the winner of that fight but instead faces an uncertain future with Dubois sending a seismic ripple through the familiar heavyweight landscape.

Dubois said he hoped for another shot at Usyk, who beat him in nine rounds in Wroclaw, Poland, last year.

Usyk previously held the IBF belt but vacated it for the Fury rematch, with Dubois the interim holder and upgraded to world champion in June.

Advertisement

“Credit to him and his team. We rolled the dice of success, but we came up short,” said Joshua after his 13th world heavyweight title fight left him with a record of four defeats from 32 bouts.

He had first won the IBF belt in 2016 from Charles Martin at London’s O2 Arena. Joshua then lost it to Andy Ruiz in 2019 but won it back later that year. Usyk then took it from him in 2021.

“We keep rolling the dice. I had a sharp opponent, a fast opponent and a lot of mistakes from my end, but that’s the game.”

Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn said he expected to exercise a rematch clause.

“It’s a dangerous fight because he’s growing in confidence all the time but he’ll believe he can beat him,” he said.

Advertisement

-Reuters

Continue Reading

Most Viewed