Filipino Pride: Manny Pacquiao

Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao (born December 17, 1978), known simply as Manny Pacquiao (nicknames Pac-Man, The Mexicutioner, People's Champ, Pambansang Kamao ("National Fist") is a professional boxer. He is currently the WBC Lightweight Champion. He was also the former WBC Super Featherweight Champion, Ring Magazine's super featherweight and featherweight champion, world champion at IBF Super Bantamweight, and WBC Flyweight divisions. He is the first Filipino and Asian boxer to win four world titles in different weight divisions.

Pacquiao was born in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Mindanao and resides in his home town General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines. His parents are Rosalio and Dionisia Pacquiao. A brother, Bobby Pacquiao, is also a boxer. Manny Pacquiao is married to Maria Geraldine "Jinkee" Pacquiao and has 3 children: Jimuel, Mike and Princess. His wife is currently pregnant with a baby girl.

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao Boxing Titles

Major:

• WBC world flyweight champion
• IBF world superbantamweight champion
• WBC world lightweight champion

Minor:

• OPBF flyweight champion
• WBC international super bantamweight champion
• WBC international super featherweight champion
• WBC world super featherweight champion

The Ring titles:

• World flyweight champion
• World featherweight champion
• World super featherweight champion

Recognitions:

• 2006 The Ring Magazine Fighter Of The Year
• 2006 Boxing Writers Association Of America Fighter Of The Year
• WBC Emeritus Champion
• The Ring Magazine #1 Pound For Pound
• 5-Time PSA Sportsman of the Year
• 2008 University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) Honorary Award for Sports Excellence

Oscar "The Golden Boy" De La Hoya and Manny "Pac-Man" Pacqiuoa
The Dream Match

Filipino People's Champ beats The Golden Boy, round by round event

Round 1: Manny off to strong start
Manny Pacquiao gets off to a strong start in his dream match against Oscar De La Hoya. Pacquiao connected on his 1-2 combinations with his left tagging De La Hoya several times. De La Hoya showed some signs of aggression late in the round but Pacquiao manages to dance his way out of trouble

Round 2: Pacquiao still in control
Oscar De La Hoya is busier with his pet left jab, but Manny Pacquiao remains in control. Pacquiao manages to sneak his left cross to tag the Golden Boy several times and his brilliant ring movement to offset his opponent's six-inch reach advantage. So far, Manny has won the first two rounds.

Round 3: Fight pace slows down
The fight slows down. There's occasional brilliance from Oscar De La Hoya. He tags Pacquiao with a couple of body shots, but the Filipinnos responds with a left cross. Pacquiao has been landing his left cross at will.

Round 4: Strong finish for Manny
De La Hoya comes alive in the fourth round, but Pacquiao came up with a whirlwind finish to steal the round. De La Hoya lands a solid right to Pacquiao’s face early in the round, his first big punch of the match. But the Golden Boy still cannot find a solution to the speed of Pacquiao’s left cross, enabling Pacquiao to tag him with shots to the face.

Round 5: Manny still in control
Manny Pacquiao showed he can engage Oscar De La Hoya in a phone-booth slugfest. From close range, he connects on a solid left near the end of the round. De La Hoya lands some shots to the body midway in the round that hardly bothers Pacquiao.

Round 6: De La Hoya's eye swollen
There is some swelling on top of De La Hoya's left eye at the end of Round 6. Pacquiao's left cross is still working wonders for him as De La Hoya has left himself open everytime he unleashes an attack.

Round 7: Manny staggers Oscar
Manny Pacquiao shifts into high gear unleashing a run of combinations which staggers De La Hoya, leaving the Golden Boy on the ropes for most of the round. De La Hoya manages to stay on his feet, though.

Round 8: Another strong finish for Manny
Manny Pacquiao unleashes a flurry that has De La Hoya on the ropes in the last 10 seconds. The punches from Oscar De La Hoya are still far and few in between. De La Hoya manages to sneak in a few punches but it lacks the sting. Pacquiao, in contrast, has been connecting at will.

Pacquiao beats De La Hoya
Manny Pacquiao defied the odds when he defeated Oscar De La Hoya in the welterweight duel at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. De La Hoya refused to come out of his corner after the eighth round, forcing referee Tony Weeks to declare Pacquiao the winner by Technical Knock Out.


Manny Pacquioa to be Ambassador of Peace

Manny Pacquiao is about to return home Wednesday (December 10, 2008) 6 a.m. Grateful Manny Pacquiao will visit Quiapo Church in Manila to offer prayers for his recent win over Oscar de la Hoya upon his return to the Philippines.

President Arroyo will give Filipino boxing idol Manny Pacquiao the new title "ambassador of peace" when he returns to the country on Wednesday after his big victory over Golden Boy Oscar de la Hoya.

Lorelei Fajardo, deputy presidential spokesperson, told Malacañang reporters that Mrs. Arroyo will welcome Pacquiao in Malacañang after the boxing idol's arrival. Fajardo said Mrs. Arroyo is preparing to appoint Pacquiao as the country's official peace envoy.