THE RING’S CORNER PRESENT: BOXING LIFE OF MANNY PACQUIAO

MANNY PACQUIAO: UNKNOWN TO A WELL-KNOWN

Most of us know Pacquiao as a boxer and didn’t know where he actually come from? Many articles here in the web starts the story of Pacquiao as an Amateur boxer who turn to a Pro. Many articles in the web narrated Professional boxing fights of Pacquiao but none of them give information of his early life. Here’s the early life of Pacquiao and I know after reading this you will be able to learn how to be determine to fulfill your dreams in your life.

Manny Pacquiao’s parents were separated when he was young. They were left by his father to his mother, Dionisia. Dionisia has six children. two of them are from her previous husband. They have a small “sari-sari” store.

They sell “pandesal” ( a Filipino bread which is a good mate for coffee). Dionisia notice Pacquiao’s boxing ability when he was in grade 5. She can see her son practicing in the basketball court and sometimes in the street. Pacquiao plans to be a priest but because of poverty and he knows that her mother cannot afford his education, he focus himself to become a great boxer. In their town, he met a friend name Abner Cordero who is a promising boxer at that time and always join the Philippine National team. Abner was trained by his father Dizon Cordero. Pacquiao approach Dizon and ask for help to train him in boxing. Dizon agreed and Pacquiao always visit Dizon’s small house just to practice. Dizon said that Pacquiao is really interested to learn boxing. He can actually remember that during that time, Pacquiao doesn’t have rubber shoes. After 1 month of training, they traveled in Saranggani and Pacquiao won the fight. This is where he begin to learn the boxing. He fought 30 times under Dizon’s assistance and soon he went to Manila. Pacquiao left a letter to his mother regarding his situation in Manila. Pacquiao was very happy because at Manila he can eat rice three times a day unlike in his hometown, General Santos City, where he can only eat once a day. Pacquiao always wrote a letter to his mother most especially if he has a fight in “BLOW BY BLOW”. BLOW BY BLOW” is weekly television show in IBC 13. His mother together with his brother go on other downtown appliance store just to watch TV because they don’t have TV. It was December 25 when Pacquiao was first seen in “BLOW BY BLOW” and on his first appearance he won. Days had passed, Pacquiao was living with his so-called “Tita Cora” and can call his mother through the phone. Pacquiao went back home in General Santos City. And when he went back to Manila, he was accompanied by Buboy Fernandez, his neighbor and his childhood friend. Buboy Fernandez act as his trainer and buddy.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS DELE DECIERTO (JULY 1, 1995 - MANDALUYONG, NCR, PHILIPPINES)

Pacquiao won in this fight after Decierto turned back to Pacquiao and quit fighting. Because of the accumulation of punches made by Pacquiao, Decierto seems to get tired and feels body ache that’s why he voluntarily quits. Pacquiao won in 2nd round with 00:19 secs left.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. RENATO MENDONES (OCTOBER 21, 1995 - PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN, PHILIPPINES)

Manny won by a knockout (KO). He finished the fight in the 2nd round with 00:18 secs left. Mendones was hit by a powerful left punch. After that, Mendones became dizzy and seems that he don’t where he is. That time, Pacquiao was just 18 years old.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS LITO TORREJOS (JANUARY 13, 1996 - SUCAT, PARANAQUE CITY, PHILIPPINES)

Referee stop the fight because of the deep cut on Torrejos left eye. The fight ended on the 5th round with 00:36 secs left. They go to scorecard. Pacquiao won the fight. Torrejos was very disappointed.

DID YOU KNOW THAT: Manny Pacquiao turned Pro on January 22, 1995.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS RUSTICO TORRECAMPO (FEBRUARY 9, 1996 - MANDALUYONG, NCR, PHILIPPINES)

This is the first lost of Pacquiao on his professional boxing career. Pacquiao was was knockout and he cannot get up because of the great pain he received by powerful punch of Torrecampo. His eyes were crossed. The fight ended on the 3rd round with 2:39 remaining. Pacquiao was said to be overconfidence at that time and this become a lesson that he still carry until now.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. IPPO GALA (JULY 27, 1996 - MANDALUYONG , NCR, PHILIPPINES)

Manny Pacquiao won the fight by a knockout (KO). Ippo Gala received multiple punches from Pacquiao that make his body give up. The fight was ended on the 2nd round with 1:59 remaining.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. SEUNG YOUR LEE (DECEMBER 28, 1996 - MUNTINLUPA, NCR, PHILIPPINES)

This is the Oriental Pacific Boxing Fight Federation Fight. Pacquiao had won after making his opponent’s nose broken and the face is full of blood.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. MICHAEL (MARCH 8, 1997 - MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES)

Pacquiao and Michael are both Southpaw. Pacquiao won the fight by a knockout (KO). He have thrown brilliant multiple punches that killed Michael that ended the fight in only first round.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. WOOK-KI LEE (APRIL 24, 1997 - MAKATI, NCR, PHILIPPINES)

Pacquiao’s powerful punch made Wook-ki Lee thrown out of the ring. It was said that did not get up because of a possible broken rib.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. CHOKCHAI “3K BATTERY” CHOKVIVAT (June 26,1997-MANDALUYONG, PHILIPPINES)

This is Oriental Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) Flyweight Title fight. Chokvivat holds the title at that time but Pacquiao have knockout him in the 5th round with 00:33 sec left. Chokvivat cannot get up after a solid left hand punch to his face. In this fight Pacquiao’s was a little fragile on his stomach because every time Chokvivat threw a punch on his stomach, Pacquiao was really hurt.

After Pacquiao won the OPBF Flyweight Title, he had many title defenses. 6 months later, Pacquiao prepare for the WBC Flyweight Title. At this time, his fight was one of the Asian Games. Pacquaio was Philippines Representative in Flyweight division in boxing. Before the fight, Pacquiao trained hard and he jugged around PICC with the basketball player Asi Taulava. Asi Taulava became his friend and he really believes on Pacquiao’s strength.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. CHARTCHAI SASAKUL (DECEMBER 4, 1998 - PHUTTAMONTHON, THAILAND)

Pacquiao won on round 8. Sasakul was trying to get up after he was hit by a heavy punch from Pacquiao. He crawled and tried his best to get up but he cannot really stand.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. GABRIEL MIRA (APRIL 24, 1999 - QUEZON CITY, NCR, PHILIPPINES)

This fight is the so called “DEMOLITION AT THE DOME”. Gabriel Mira, his opponent, is the challenger from Argentina. This fight was really prepared under former President Joseph Estrada’s government. Pacquiao at that time is the only Filipino boxer who holds a title from WBC. Richard Steele is the 3rd man on the ring. He was actually invited to be the ring announcer of this boxing event. Gabriel Mira was really eager to dethrone Pacquiao but he was knockout in 4th round at 1:18.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. MEDGUEN SINGSURAT (SEPTEMBER 17, 1999 - NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, THAILAND)

This fight was held at Pakpanag Metropolitan Stadium in Thailand. This was the most controversial lost of Pacquaio. He didn’t maintain the . He was overweight. It was said that he already lost his title on their weigh in. He did not reach the lbs. The fight was not canceled even though Pacquiao didn’t reach the required weight because all the tickets were sold out and many people have waited for the fight. The fight ended in a shocking first round. It is said that Pacquiao was acting only when he was knock out. It was not a killing punch of Singsurat but it appears that he was hurt that he didn’t really get up. It is said that it is a clear drama in the ring which might be directed by the management. In an interview, Buboy Fernandez said that Pacquiao was not really overweight and he really starved for days just to prepare for the fight. Other said that Pacquiao didn’t really reach the required weight because he really had tremendous appetite on Thailand’f foods. Well, I guess whatever it is, I really agreed to those who said that it was a big drama because he is not weak and the punches thrown by Singsurat was just like a bite of an ant to him. So there’s no reason that he’d lost his title because of that.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. ARNEL BAROTILLO (MARCH 4, 2000 - MANILA, NCR, PHILIPPINES)

This was the WBC International Super Bantamweight Title fight which was held at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Arnel Barotillo have challenged Eric Morales but Barotillo was defeated. With his fight with Pacquiao, it just ended on the 4th round with 1:04 remaining. Barotillo has a delayed response (before he fell) when he was hit by a powerful punch of Pacquiao.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. SEUNG-KON CHAE (JUNE 28, 2000 - MANILA PHILIPPINES)

This was another WBC International Super Bantamweight Title fight. Pacquiao won in first round with 1:34 remaining.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. NADEL HUSSEIN (OCTOBER 14, 2000 - ANTIPOLO, PHILIPPINES)

This was another WBC International Super Bantamweight Title defense with the Lebanese guy Hussein. This fight was held at Ynares Center and Carlos Padilla was referee in charge. This was considered as one of the major challenge for Pacquiao because Hussein was known for dirty tactics on the ring. Hussein used his elbows to sway Pacquiao. Filipinos, throw mineral water bottles in the ring because Hussein is a dirty fighter. He used some tactics which is not allowed in boxing rules. Pacquiao was knockdown but he recovered. He have thrown series of punches that created a cut on Hussein’s eye. This cut gets worst and the fight was stopped in Round 10. Hussein was very disappointed and he didn’t really accept the doctor’s decision.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. LEHLOHONOLO LEDWABA (JUNE 23, 2001 - LAS VEGAS, NEVADA USA)

This was IBF Super Bantamweight Title fight which was held at MGM Grand. Pacquiao met Freddie Roach and this was the time that Roach became his trainer. Pacquaio won the title by a technical knockout.

After this fight, Pacquiao step up to a higher level which makes all the people in the world amazed. Out of nowhere, he knocked down all the legends in the boxing ring that makes him popular and multi millionaire boxer. You cannot even imagined how he was when he first step into the ring because right now he got it all. The following are the fights that make him marked in the history.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. MARCO ANTONIO BARRERA (2005 - SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS USA)

Pacquaio have gained weight and move to a higher level - featherweight division and his first fight is with Marco Antonio Barrera which is very famous at that time. The fight was held at Alamodome and this was considered as a bitter boxing history for Barrera. No one have ever imagined that Pacquaio who have just moved to this level defeated the veteran Barrera. Pacquiao won by a technical knockout and the fight was stopped in Round 11 by Barrera’s camp. Barrera’s camp and fans were astonished and stared after the fight. Some of them are crying because of the defeat of their boxing idol. This was not a title fight but Pacquaio was considered by Ring Magazine as the World Champion. This made Pacquiao famous.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. JUAN MANUEL “DINAMITA”MARQUEZ

This fight is a draw. Pacquiao have knocked down Marquez three times in the first round but according to the judges Pacquiao didn’t overthrown Marquez because Marquez scored a lot in the latter rounds. One of the judges admitted that he have put a wrong score of “10-7″ instead of “10-6″ after Marquez was technically knocked down in the first round.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. FAHSAN “3K BATTERY” POR THAWATCHAI ( TAGUIG CITY, PHILIPPINES)

This was another marvelous fight. Pacquiao knocked down Thawatchai by a left uppercut.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. ERIC MORALES (MARCH 19, 2005 - MGM GRAND, USA)

Pacquiao move to another 126-130 division and this time he fight with the 3 time division champion Eric Morales. But Pacquiao did not win this fight. The fight finished the 12 rounds in favor of Morales.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. OSCAR LARIOS ( JULY 2, 2006 - ARANETA COLISEUM , QUEZON CITY PHILIPPINES)

Pacquiao won in this WBC Super Featherweight title match. He knocked down Larios two times in this 12 round fight. Larios was very happy in this fight, because of this fight he earned big enough to build his house.

After these fights, Pacquiao had a rematch with Morales. And on this 2nd fight, Pacquiao had knocked down Morales that makes him win the fight. Pacquiao had a rematch with Barrera as well, but Barrera is not lucky enough and he lost again in their 2nd fight.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. JUAN MANUEL “DINAMITA” MARQUEZ( MARCH 15, 2008 - MANDALAY BAY, LAS VEGAS NEVADA, USA)

In this 2nd fight, Pacquaio won via split decision. Pacquaio won the WBC title and “the Ring” super featherweight belts making him the first Asian to win 3 world titles in 3 different divisions. It’s very controversial fight because the Filipino announcers like Quinito Henson, and Nonito Donaire said that Marquez should have won the fight. Well, I guess, they said that because they have put their bet to Marquez camp. After this fight, Marquez camp was calling for an immediate rematch, but Pacquaio’s camp declined it because Pacquiao is now moving to a higher level (Lightweight Division) and this would be his match with David Diaz.

MANNY PACQUIAO VS. DAVID “DANGEROUS” DIAZ (JUNE 28, 2008 - MANDALAY BAY, LAS VEGAS NEVADA, USA)

Pacquiao won via TKO in Round 9. Pacquiao now is the new Lightweight Champion. He is rumored before to fight with Ricky Hatton but it is said that Pacquiao vs. De La Hoya is confirmed and scheduled this December 2008.