Nov 13, 2010 - marked as another world history for Filipinos on the ring with one of the greatest boxers of the world, Emmanuel Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. He undoubtedly won his latest fight over Antonio Margarito, a great Mexican boxer as well. It was Manny's eighth-division world championship title. Pacman, as the people fondly call him, is a history maker to win ten world titles in eight different divisions, and to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. He is currently the World Boxing Council (WBC) -Super Welterweight World Champion and the World Boxing Organization (WBO) – Welterweight World Super Champion. He was named with a lot of titles by athlete critics, famous boxing writers, and several sporting news and boxing websites, for being a phenomenal boxer of all time.
Manny was born and raised from a less fortunate family, whose mother left her husband after finding out that the latter was having an affair with another woman. His mother together with his five siblings had to earn a living, and Manny was working hard selling bread around the neighborhood. He left his family at the age of 14 to seek a better life in another place far away from his hometown because his mother was not making enough money to support all of them. After he left his family, Manny had lived a destitute life and at times he had to sleep on the streets, but he never gave up and continued to work hard to earn a living. It was then he started boxing and made it to the Philippine National Amateur Boxing Team where his room and board were paid for by the government.
Manny completed his elementary education but dropped out of high school due to extreme poverty. Aside from skills and perseverance, poverty is one of the reasons that brought the boxers to the ring. It is a fact that most boxers in the Philippines are not degree holders. Had BPO industries emerged before, these boxers may have been call center agents, because they only need to be proficient in English, and need not to be punched by strong opponents in the ring. If call center companies have not emerged today, there may have been more Filipino boxers, idolizing Manny, how he became famous and a millionaire, from rags to riches.
His fame in boxing brought him to the world of acting and endorsing products. Then he eventually became a recording artist where one of his songs was dedicated to his fellow Filipino people for his triumphant fight with one of the greatest boxing opponents he had. His greatest challenge in life was not in the world of boxing but in public office. He recently ventured into the world of politics and was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines representing the province of his wife, Jinkee. He is the only professional boxer to become an elected public official and one of the most influential people in the Philippines.
Despite his fame and financial success, Manny still knows how to look back where he came from. During the Christmas season, he personally gives presents to the poor. He also gives over half a million dollars worth of tickets to his childhood friends during his title fights. He simply feels blessed to be able to give back and to help those who were a part of his roots and early suffering.