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Philippines, 30 Sep 2024 |
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Why Pacquiao deserves the FOTD and FOTY honors PhilBoxing.com Sun, 05 Jan 2020  By Eddie Alinea / The Manila Times When Kid Kulafu was introduced by ring announcer to fight a certain Enting Ignacio in a four-round curtain raiser on January 22, 1995 in Occidental Mindoro, no one from among the crowd had thought that someday, that skinny 16-yer-old boy would become a world champion. And no one, too, would have thought that 25 years after that, the guy who now answers by the name Manny Pacquiao, owner of 12 world championships in an unprecedented eight weight divisions, is still relevant. On that day this year, Pacquiao, a former Congressman now Senator, will be celebrating his 25th year anniversary as a prizefighter, the reigning WBA welterweight super champion. And one of the three strongest candidates for the “Fighter of the Decade” and “Fighter of the Year” accolades to be handed down by the Boxing Writers Association of America soon. The other two are his arch-rival and tormentor, the undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Jr. and the young Canelo Alvarez. For crowning himself champion in seven of his eight-division title conquests, Pacquiao had already been named FOTD for decade 2000-2009 and FOTY thrice in 2006, 2008 and 2009. Pacquiao’s past decade is defined by his fights as a welterweight. Since beating the legendary Oscar Dela Hoya black and blue on December 6, 2008, his first outing as 147-pounder, he fought in that category 17 times. His 12-round split decision victory over erstwhile undefeated Keith Thurman last July where he, too, dealt the American the first knockdown in his career, was his 17th in the division and, to many, is deserving to be accorded the FOTY honor. 
Pacquiao drops Thurman. Pacquiao has, so far, won 13 of those welterweight duels, including a 12-round TKO of Miguel Cotto from whom he took the crown on November 14, 2009. Pacquiao lost his 147-pound belt three times the past 10 years, twice on questionable verdicts, first to American Timothy Bradley on June 9, 2012, and second to former Australian school teacher Jeff Horn On July 7, 2017, and once to Mayweather on May 5, 2015. When Pacquiao falls, he rises again and this mantra the father of five children with wife Jinkee has proven time and time again, displaying the true heart of a champion that he is and deserving the accolades bestowed on him. The reigning FOTD won back his title as many times after that, first at the expense of Bradley himself in the second their trilogy on April 9, 2016 and the last against Argentine Lucas Matthysse from whom he wrested the WBA regular version of the crown on July 15, 2018. Teased no end as a ‘paper’ champion, he accepted the challenge of WBA welterweight ‘super champ. “One Time” Thurman in his last fight six months ago, in the process handing him the first defeat of his career. The three-time FOTY awardee had earlier kept his WBA regular belt against bad-mouth American Andre Broner via a 12-riound unanimous decision January 19 last year. Pacquiao turned 41 last December 17, becoing the oldest fighter to rule the 147-pound division besides being, too, the first to own belts in four decades and among the greats with the longest career. 
Lucas Matthyssee down on his knees as Pacquiao stares. The Pacman’s 25-year career as a pro tied him with Fighter of the last Millennium Sugar Ray Robinson who fought in the fight-for-pay rank from 1940 to 1965. Ring greats Willie Pep and Archie Moore had longer years in the pro ranks with 26 and 28 years, respectively. Roberto Duran has longest among the modern-day boxers with nearly 33 years from 1968 to 2001. After pounding Ghanian Joshua Clottey to submission to keep his WBO welter diadem on March 13-2010, at the giant Cowboy Stadium in Arlington, Texas, Pacquiao arranged a showdown with big boy Antonio Margarito on November 13, 2010 where he came 17 pounds lighter. Despite his handicap in height and heft, the Filipino icon punished Margarito to pulps for a 12-riound victory to to become the only man on earth to complete an eight-division championship conquest he has protected the past decade. “Pacquiao is definitely a top-five all-time fighter,” Bradley said by way of paying tribute to his one-time victim and two-time conqueror. “If he’s a top-five of all time, he’s definitely a fighter who defined his decade.”  |
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