MANNY Pacquiao won three times in 2006, all in convincing and awe inspiring fashion. Because of that, the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) accorded him the highest award in US boxing – Fighter of the Year.
On Jan. 28, the Filipino ring idol scored a 10th round TKO over Mexican Erik Morales in a rematch at the Thomas and Mack Arena in Las Vegas, followed by a unanimous decision win over Oscar Larios last July 22 at the Araneta Coliseum. Last Nov. 18, Pacquiao easily scored a third round knockout over Morales in their third meeting, in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao had become the most exciting fighter in the lower weight division, earning accolades from boxing fanatics for giving quality sports entertainment.
The honor also goes to his trainer Freddie Roach, who was also named Trainer of the Year.
Since Pacquiao campaigned in the US, Roach had developed the Filipino slugger into a total destroyer, particularly to legendary Mexican fighters. The award is just fitting to Roach, who had been molding super entertainers at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
The awards will be presented during the 82nd BWAA annual dinner in New York by June.
Among other awards, the WBA super-bantamweight championship bout between Thai Somsak Sithchatchawal and Mahyar Monshipour of France last March 18 in France was named Fight of the Year.
Boxing great Muhammad Ali will be awarded with the Pat Putnam Award for Perseverance.
Television commentators Larry Merchant and Steve Albert will be bestowed with long and meritorious service and broadcast excellence awards, respectively.
Top Rank publicists Lee Samuels and Ricardo Jimenez will also receive the Marvin Kohn Good Guy award.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is now considering to pull out of his April 21 fight against unknown Jorge Solis of Mexico at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Pacquiao, who is seriously considering his bid to run as representative of South Cotabato, is looking for a big money fight that only the winner of the Marco Antonio Barrera vs. Juan Manuel Marquez fight on March 17 can give.
According to Internet reports, Pacquiao is too serious in his candidacy that he could not afford to leave his campaign to his supporters.
Pacquiao is set to leave for the US on the first week of March to train for the Solis fight, but with the little prize money offered for this fight, the General Santos native fighter could opt out to focus on the campaign. (RCM)
