MANNY PACQUIAO was named by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) as Boxer of the Year for 2006, beating the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe and Wild Card gym mate Israel Vazquez for the award.
The BWAA also named Pacquiao trainer Freddie Roach as the year’s top cornerman for steering the Filipino southpaw to three stirring victories in 2006, two against Erik Morales of Mexico and one versus Oscar Larios, also of Mexico at the Araneta Coliseum.
This is the second major award that Pacquiao got for his extraordinary campaign last year after he was voted Fighter of the Year by The Ring magazine.
The BWAA will formally award Pacquiao in New York in June.
“I am deeply honored that I was named as 2006’s top boxer,” said Pacquiao from his hometown of General Santos City.
The BWAA is made up mostly of America’s top boxing scribes although they have members from other countries.
