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Philippines, 27 Jul 2024 |
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Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao: The best boxer of his era (Last of a WCBHOF Series) By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT PhilBoxing.com Sun, 25 Dec 2022  Manny Pacquiao’s story atop and outside the prize ring continues; that much we know despite his recent retirement. How does one summarize- in 500 words or less- the story of a one-time street urchin-stowaway-baker-construction worker who parlayed his fighting skills in the ring and became a senator and the longest reigning pound-for-pound boxer by Nat Fleischer’s The Ring Magazine and highest PPV generator with 20.4 million buys? 
Allow me to share one memorable event involving the eminent journalist Larry Merchant who once conversed with my late father Hermie Rivera about the past Filipino boxing greats- Little Brown Dolls- a few fights back. I asked if my father thought the man from Sarangani was the greatest Filipino boxer of all-time. Instead of reiterating his viewpoint, my father instead suggested for me to ask the sources if I really wanted to be a reporter. Here is what Messrs. Merchant, Rivera and Pacquiao, fresh from his victory over Miguel Cotto, said to each other back on November 14, 2009, on Top Rank’s Firepower. “Manny may have appeared out of nowhere. In boxing terms, he came from somewhere. There is a rich history there,” Larry Merchant opined. Rivera asked, ”Manny, how do you rate your performance tonight, in general?" “Some say I have achieved great things as a boxer. For that, I am proud and grateful. I would like, however, to be remembered more for the good things I have achieved outside of the ring,” Pacquiao replied. 
Per PhilBoxing.com, Pacquiao rated his championship wins spanning 8 divisions by degree of difficulty. Pacquiao ranks his welterweight fight against Miguel Cotto (TKO12) as the hardest, followed by wins against featherweight Marco Antonio Barrera (TKO 11), junior-lightweight Juan Manuel Marquez (W12), junior-welterweight Ricky Hatton (KO2), junior-middleweight Antonio Margarito (W12), lightweight David Diaz (TKO9), junior-featherweight Lehlohonolo Ledwaba (TKO6), and flyweight Chatchai Sasakul (KO8) the least difficult. For the record, his major titles include the WBC flyweight (112 lb.), IBF super-bantamweight (122 lb.), WBC super-featherweight champion (130 lb.), WBC lightweight (135 lb.), WBO welterweight (147 lb.), WBA (Super) (147 lb.) and WBC super-welterweight (154 lb.) crowns. He was fast, furious, and victorious against the world’s best like Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, Marco Antonio Barrera, Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito, Timothy Bradley, Oscar de la Hoya, Keith Thurman. Anecdotally, crime rates dropped, traffic improved when he fought. 
I will always consider him as the glue that held many a Filipino, American, and boxing fans together despite his losses against Rustico Torrecampo, Medgoen Singsurat, Erik Morales, Timothy Bradley, Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Mayweather, and Jeff Horn. His legacy continues with better half Jinkee Jamora Pacquiao and their children Emmanuel, Jr., Michael Stephen, Mary Divine Grace (Princess) and Queen Elizabeth (Queenie) and Israel. History will be kind to Manny Pacquiao--- servant of God, family man, and humanitarian. A Philippine nation is grateful that he is honored by the West Coast Boxing Hall of Fame for his achievements in sports, boxing, and life. 
Note of Appreciation: It is with gratitude to mention Mr. Rick Farris, Dan Hanley, Jun Aquino, Jhay Oh Otamias, Dr. Ed de la Vega, Wendell Rupert Alinea, Robert Lyons, The Manny Pacquiao Foundation and MP Promotions for their photos and contributions to this article. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from your fellow boxing fans at PhilBoxing.com. Click here to view a list of other articles written by Emmanuel Rivera, RRT.  |
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