More than the power, the conditioning and the skills, the size of his heart is what makes Manny Pacquiao the champion that he is.
No fighter has more guts, courage and determination than the 5’6″, 27-year-old southpaw from General Santos City. His spirit is what propels him to victory against all odds.
Pacquiao’s life has been a constant struggle. From humble beginnings, he battled his way to the top. He never blinked in the face of adversity. He never backed down from any challenge.
Today, Pacquiao is known as the “People’s Champion.” He is a legend in his own time. There is no feistier fighter in the lighter weight divisions and no more exciting dervish in the ring.
In his home country, he is a hero – a man who has given national pride a new meaning through his exploits as a fighter. Abroad, he is a phenomenon from a Third World country, someone who has captured the imagination of boxing fans regardless of ethnic origins with his irrepressible will to win, his charm and his derring-do.
“When I fight I know I’m fighting not just for myself and my family but for all Filipinos. There is a lot of pressure on me to win. But it’s a reality I have to face. I will always give my best because I’m fighting for my country,” he said.
Pacquiao was born in Kibawe, a small Bukidnon town, the second of four children. His mother Dionisia of Tampakan, South Cotabato, had two children, Lisa and Domingo, from a previous relationship. His father Rosalio is from Pinamungajan, Cebu.
Pacquiao grew up in a vegetable farm in the mountains overlooking General Santos City with sister Sidra and two younger brothers Bobby and Rogelio. He finished up to Grade 6 at the Labangal Elementary School, then made a living as a bakery boy while fighting on the side when his father left home, never to return. Pacquiao fended for himself and became preoccupied doing what he did best – taking on all comers in fistfights.
Boxing was Pacquiao’s ticket out of poverty, as it was for townmate Rolando Navarrete, who once reigned as the world junior lightweight titleholder. He racked up a 60-4 record as an amateur and caught the eye of local promoters Rey Golingan and Fabian Javier. Golingan said Pacquiao was not extraordinarily skilled as an amateur but showed a lot of spunk. He was called Kid Kulafu by fans.
In 1994, a call was made by Malabon businessman Polding Correa to General Santos City “talent scout” Yolanda Pareon, whose two sons were fighters. Correa asked Parcon to send to Manila a bunch of young and promising fighters and promised to make champions out of those with potential.
So in a slow boat to Manila rode Pacquiao and nine other aspiring, wide-eyed fighters with visions of fame and fortune in the big city.
Pacquiao landed in Port Area with not even a centavo in his pockets.
Pacquiao was only 15 when he arrived. He was brought to the L&M gym, owned by Moy Lainez and Lito Mondejar, in Sampaloc, to train and polish his style. What was evident from the start was Pacquiao’s raw power – he had a killer punch that was inborn.
Pacquiao turned pro in January 1995, weighing 106 pounds and scoring a four-round decision over Enting Ignacio in Mindoro. He earned only loose change in his early fights, so to keep from starving he sold cigarettes in the streets.
To succeed, Pacquiao knew he had to work extra hard in the gym, bulk up and live a Spartan lifestyle. It was the only way to get ahead as a fighter.
Pacquiao won his first 11 fights and started to make a name for himself. But in February 1996, he lost focus in the gym and wasn’t physically prepared to face Rustico Torrecampo. He failed to make the weight limit for the bout, was fined by the Games and Amusements Board and wore bigger-sized gloves as a penalty to cushion the impact of his blows.
As it turned out, Pacquiao lost to Torrecampo via a third round knockout. It was a bitter lesson for Pacquiao but he learned from the experience.
Pacquiao rebounded from the setback and slowly, his ascent was on the way. He halted Thai veteran Chokchai Chokwiwat to wrest the Oriental flyweight crown in 1997 and a year later, made an auspicious foreign debut by knocking out Shin Terao in the first round in Tokyo. In December 1998, Pacquiao came from behind to stop Chatchai Sasakul for the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight crown in Phuttamonthon.
Pacquiao yielded the WBC title on the scales as he failed to make the flyweight limit in his second defense against Medgeon 3-K Battery in Thammarat in 1999. He had outgrown the 112-pound division. Although he was stripped of the title, Pacquiao went on to fight Medgeon – if not, his purse would have been withheld – and, sapped to the bone from dehydration, was halted in three rounds.
Pacquiao bounced back to win the WBC International superbantamweight title and in early 2000, signed a five-year contract to be managed by Marty Elorde, who took over from Correa. After five defenses of the WBC International crown, Pacquiao ventured to the US to seek greener pastures.
While business manager Rod Nazano looked for offers, a chance of a lifetime fell on Pacquiao’s lap. International Boxing Federation (IBF) superbantamweight champion Lehlo Ledwaba of South Africa was booked to stake his title against Enrique Sanchez but the Mexican challenger backed out due to injury. With only a few weeks’ notice, Pacquiao agreed to face Ledwaba and promptly captured the IBF diadem on a sixth round stoppage.
Pacquiao figured in two more fights in the US before disposing of Fahprakorb Rakkiat-Gym to retain his IBF title in Davao City in October 2002. He stopped Serik Yeshmangbetov in a non-title tiff in Manila early the next year then was back in the US to trounce Emmanuel Lucero and Marco Antonio Barrera before being held to a draw by Juan Manuel Marquez.
In December 2004, Pacquiao regaled an open-air crowd of over 25,000 with a devastating demolition of Fahsan 3-K Battery in Taguig and proceeded to lose a decision to Erik Morales a few months later. He signed a two-year contract to be managed by Shelly Finkel and went to court to disengage from an agreement with US promoter Murad Muhammad in New York.
With his management issues settled, Pacquiao moved on to crush Hector Velasquez in Los Angeles last September then posted his most impressive win ever – a 10th round knockout over Morales in Las Vegas last January.
For facing Morales, Pacquiao was paid a purse of $2 million and stood to pocket at least $4 million more from his share in the site fee and the pay-per-view revenues. It was by far the largest payday for a Filipino athlete in history.
When Pacquiao annihilated Morales, everything was at a standstill in the Philippines as millions were glued to their TV sets and thousands jammed over 40 movie theaters all over the country for the live satellite feed. His victory was every Filipino’s victory.
“Boxing involves a lot of hard work, discipline and sacrifice. When I prepared for the rematch against Morales, I was alone on my birthday, my son’s birthday, Christmas, New Year’s Day and my wife’s birthday. It was the first time I wasn’t with my family. But I knew I had to be ready for Morales. I knew what was at stake. I knew the entire Filipino nation was praying for me to win. I couldn’t let my countrymen down.”
Upon returning home, Pacquiao was treated to a ticker-tape welcome and received by President Arroyo at Malacanang. He was mobbed wherever he went.
Fortunately, success hasn’t gone to Pacquiao’s head. He is now a wealthy man and the nation’s most-sought-after commercial endorser. Companies paid at least P750,000 for every logo that crowded his boxing shorts in the Morales rematch. He has recorded a chart-topping CD entitled Para Sa ‘Yo Ang Laban Na ‘To with eight original songs composed by Novelty King Lito Camo and owns his personal line of MP (Manny Pacquiao) shirts. He has also appeared in movies and TV shows.
As for his earnings, Pacquiao has invested wisely in hard assets. He lives in a three-bedroom bungalow in Labangal with his wife Jinkee Jamora and their two children, Emmanuel, Jr., 6, and Michael Stephen, 4.
“If my two sons want to become boxers, I’ll let them. But I want them to finish their education. If it was up to me, I wouldn’t let them fight. But since boxing is in our blood, I won’t stop them from becoming fighters with the condition they finish their schooling.
“One of my dreams is when I retire from boxing, I’ll go back to school, maybe get a tutor and take up Political Science.”
He also has a home in El Rio Vista in Davao City, a three-bedroom bungalow in Dadiangas Heights and a four-bedroom, two-story house in BF Paranaque. He owns a condominium in Manila given to him by Mayor Lito Atienza, a seven-hectare farm in Saranggani province with a rest house, a mango plantation and a shelter for 500 fighting cocks which he enjoys breeding and a two-story General Santos City building where the ‘Pacman’ convenience store his wife and sister run is located.
Under construction is a P25-million home on a 2,000 square-meter property in Lagao, behind the General Santos City gym. His garage is loaded with cars, including a CRV, a Toyota Hi-Lux pick-up, a maroon Eddie Bauer Ford Expedition, a utility truck, a Pajero, a Mark 4 Ford van and a two-liter Ford Focus hatchback. He also has a Yamaha big bike. In Los Angeles, he bought a Porsche Cayenne SUV, which he drives when he’s in town.
Not only is Pacquiao known for his heart in the ring but also his heart out of the ring. His personal foundation, chaired by his wife’s uncle Fiscal Edilberto Jamora, is sending over 20 scholars to school and extends assistance to underprivileged Filipinos. He visits the Golden Acres Home for the Aged in Quezon City and distributes gifts to the elderly. He bankrolls several sports projects for the youth and his Pacman team plays in Visayan and Mindanao leagues. He plans to build a gym in his hometown and a museum where his gloves, shorts, robes and other personal belongings will be on display.
Every day, there’s a queue of poor people outside his General Santos City home, hoping to share in Pacquiao’s good fortune. He never forgets where he came from and each year on his birthday distributes cash, rice and canned goods to thousands of his impoverished province-mates.
And he always remembers to praise the Lord for His blessings.
The morning of the Morales rematch, Fr. Marlon Beof of Palawan celebrated Mass in Pacquiao’s Wynn Las Vegas hotel suite. And the morning after the fight, he celebrated a thanksgiving Mass.
“I pray a lot. I know whatever happens in my life is God’s will so I thank God every day for all his blessings.” he said.
The first thing that Pacquiao did when he climbed into the ring for the Morales bout was kneel in his corner, make the sign of the cross and pray for God’s protection. When he won, Pacquiao prayed again, this time to thank the Lord for his victory, and wore a rosary around his neck.
Pacquiao knows he can’t be a fighter forever. When he hangs up his gloves, Pacquiao says he’ll develop more champions for the Philippines and give more Filipino fighters the opportunity to equal if not surpass his achievements.
