The next edition of ESPN?s prime-time newsmagazine E:60, on Tonight!, Tuesday, October 28, at 7 p.m. ET, will include a profile of MANNY PACQUIAO, the five-division world boxing champion from the Philippines. Pacauiao, the reigning WBC lightweight champion moves up TWO weight divisions to take on six-division world champion Oscar De La Hoya in a 12-round welterweight battle. Presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Top Rank, De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View, Saturday, December 6 from MGM Grand.
Reporter Jeremy Schaap takes a look at Manny’s rise from poverty to national hero in the Philippines and, some would say, a fighter who is carrying boxing with his success and potential. Schaap is willing to do interviews with any media who might be interested in hearing about his time with Pacquaio – and things that might not make the final cut due to time restraints.
Here’s a brief overview of the piece:
Manny Pacquiao holds many titles. He is currently the WBC Lightweight Champion, was formerly the WBC Super Featherweight Champion, The Ring Featherweight, IBF Super Bantamweight Champion and WBC Flyweight Champion but as the first Filipino and Asian boxer to win five world titles in different weight divisions, his most prominent role might be as a hero/icon in his native country. This 29 year old from General Santos City, Philippines rose from the poverty of his country to be named by The Ring magazine as the top pound for pound boxer in the world in June, 2008 and is poised to become even bigger if he wins his December fight with Oscar De La Hoya. E:60 reporter Jeremy Schaap sits down with the world’s number one boxer to talk about Pacquiao’s big break in June, 2001, when he stepped in as a late replacement and beat IBF Junior Featherweight champion Lehlo Ledwaba by technical knockout. He has virtually destroyed most pugilists that have dared to step in the ring to face him since then and right now many experts agree Pacquiao is carrying boxing. With eight straight wins and a record of knockouts in terms of revenues from his recent pay-per-view fights, Pacquaio may be worth more than his weight in gold. According to Mark Taffet, senior vice president for HBO PPV, Pacquiao weighs 135 pounds (but) his PPV numbers look more like heavyweight numbers.” Tune in and find out why this fighter was able to generate a record $20.2 million in revenue for a featherweight class bout.
Click http://espnmediazone.com/press_kits/E60 for releases, correspondents and executive production team bios and video clips. For complete E:60 features and expanded versions of the reporter-producer meetings.
