Manny Pacquiao Biography

Let’s begin our Manny Pacquiao Biography with information on the early life of the legendary boxer, and then, let's move on to check out why he's a living legend...

Manny Pacquiao Biography: Early Life and Career Start

Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao was born back in December 17, 1978 in Kibawe, Philippines.

When he was very young, he boarded a ship to Manila with the hopes of starting a professional boxing career.

His boxing adventure began at age 16, when he faced Edmund Ignacio, winning the bout in four rounds by unanimous decision, being this the fight that propelled “Pac-Man” to international stardom.

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Manny Pacquiao Biography: Political Career

Next, in our Manny Pacquiao Biography, let’s talk about Pacman’s political career…

Apart from being a legendary boxer, Pacquiao is also a political figure in his country.

He was first elected as congressman of the lone district of Sarangani on May 13, 2010.

After switching parties in 2013, he was again elected as congressman, in what it was his second consecutive term.

Next, he was elected as senator during the 2016 elections, being declared the “people's champion.”

Manny Pacquiao Biography: Professional Boxing Career

Now in our Manny Pacquiao Biography, it’s time to talk about his pro boxing career…

He’s the only boxer in the history of this sport to have won titles (total of 12) in eight different divisions, making him the only octuple boxing champion in the world.

Plus, he’s the very first boxer that has being able to get the lineal championship in 5 different weight divisions.

And, he’s also the first to get major world titles in 4 of the classic 8 weight divisions of boxing: flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight.

First Two World Titles

The first title bout for “Ang Pambansang” came in 1998, when he faced Chatchai Sasakul from Thailand.

Beating Sasakul allowed Pacquiao to acquire the WBC flyweight title.

After gaining some weight, Pacquiao switched divisions, and, after getting the WBC International Super Bantamweight title, he managed to defend it 5 times, this before getting a proper chance for the world title.

And his chance came when he was picked up as a replacement fighter on two weeks’ notice to face Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, allowing Pacquiao to acquire the IBF Super Bantamweight world title, his second major boxing belt.

And after earning this title, he went on to defending it four more times.

Featherweight and Super Featherweight

Next, in our Manny Pacquiao Biography, let’s talk about Pacquiao’s switch to Featherweight and Super Featherweight divisions.

Pacquiao went on to face Marco Antonio Barrera in what many consider to be a career-defining moment for Pacman.

And the reason for this is because this marked the moment when the Philippine fighter was able to obtain world titles in 3 different weight divisions.

Next, Pacquiao challenged Juan Manuel Marquez for his WBA and IBF Featherweight titles, but the intense fight finished in a controversial draw.

Then, Pacquiao switched divisions again to fight Erik Morales for the WBC International and IBA Super Featherweight titles, losing this bout.

But he won his next fight against Hector Velazquez, allowing him to capture the WBC International Super Featherweight title, which he managed to defend 5 times.

The next big fight for Pacquiao came in March 15, 2008, when he faced Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacman was able to beat the Mexican, getting the lineal super featherweight title, and turning in the first Philippine and Asian to have won world titles in 4 different weight divisions.

Lightweight

After moving up in divisions, Pacquiao challenged David Diaz, removing the WBC Lightweight title from the hands of the latter boxer.

This was also historical, because it turned Manny into the only Asian to have won world titles in 5 different weight divisions.

Welterweight

Then, it was time for Pacquiao to move divisions again to welterweight in order to challenge 6-division world champion, Oscar De La Hoya.

Pacman managed to win the bout, and even though there was no title dispute, the fight allowed Pacquiao to turn into the top pound for pound boxer in the world.

Light Welterweight

It was time for Manny to face Ricky Hatton, and after beating the American, Pacquiao managed to get the lineal light-welterweight, and this feat allowed “Ang Pambansang” to become a six-division world champion.

Return to Welterweight

Next for Pacquiao was a fight versus Miguel Cotto, which allowed Pacman to get the WBO Welterweight title, turning into the first 7-division world champion.

After beating Cotto, Pacquiao’s camp wanted the Philippine to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr., but a controversy related to anti-doping prevented this bout to take place.

Then, Pacquiao was booked to fight former IBF Welterweight champ Joshua Clottey, and Pacman managed to defend his title versus the Ghanaian boxer.

And here’s a very important milestone in our Manny Pacquiao Biography: After beating Clottey, “Ang Pambansang” was named the Fighter of the Decade for the years 2000-2009 by the Boxing Writers Association of America, the BWAA.

Light Middleweight

Then it was time for Pacquiao to make history again!

The boxer managed to defeat Antonio Margarito, earning the vacant WBC Light Middleweight title, and this signified the eight world title for Pacman in as many divisions.

Second Return to Welterweight

Next, in this Manny Pacquiao Biography, let’s talk about Pacquiao’s return to the welterweight division.

Pacquiao was able to defend his WBO Welterweight title versus Shane Mosley, whom he knocked down in the third round of the fight.

Then, he lost this same title to Timothy Bradley, in a bout that finished with a result that many pointed out as a sign of corruption in the sport.

After a second revision by another five international judges, it was determined that Pacquiao should have won, with all of those judging officials ruling the bout in Pacman’s favor.

Despite this, the official result of the bout couldn’t be revoked, so a rematch was recommended.

Pacquiao then managed to win the vacant WBO International welterweight title after defeating Brandon Rios by unanimous decision.

After this bout, Pacquiao finally got the rematch he wanted versus Bradley, and became the WBO welterweight champion of the world after a unanimous decision victory at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Now in our Manny Pacquiao Biography, let’s talk about the “Fight of the Century”!

The camps for Pacquiao and Mayweather had been trying to get the two fighters in the same ring for years, but it was until 2015 that such bout was officially announced.

The result of that fight was a victory for the American, but this decision was surrounded with controversy as Mayweather had used IV injections before the fight to rehydrate after the weigh in.

This was quite disappointing as the Nevada State Athletic Commission denied Manny a painkiller for his torn rotator cuff.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley III

The next bout for Pacman was a third rematch versus Timothy Bradley, which Pacquiao won by unanimous decision, capturing the WBO International and lineal welterweight titles.

And with this win, “Ang Pambansang” became only the third fighter in boxing history to have won lineal titles in the major divisions: flyweight, featherweight, and welterweight.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas

After taking a few months off due to his work as part of the Philippines senate, Pacquiao returned to action, beating Jessie Vargas, and getting the WBO welterweight title for the third time in his career.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Jeff Horn

Then, it was time for the action to move to Australia, where Pacquiao was the loser in a “super fight” against Jeff Horn, losing the WBO welterweight title at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.

This was definitely a controversial decision, as post-fight stats showed that the Philippine had landed more punches than the Aussie fighter.

Even Dieter Kurtenbach of Fox Sports mentioned that the fight was "rigged": “No way in hell Horn won unanimously,” he tweeted. “A 117–111 card? Ridiculous. This is a hometown hit job. Manny looked old, but mostly in control" He said.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Lucas Matthysse

The next bout for Pacquiao came on July 15, 2018, at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur, where Pacman defeated Lucas Matthysse, obtaining the WBA (Regular) welterweight title.

Matthysse went down by TKO in the seventh round, and announced his retirement of the sport shortly thereafter.

Manny Pacquiao vs. Adrien Broner

Then, it was time for Pacquiao to defend the title he has just acquired, and so he was set to fight Adrien Broner in what it was billed as the “Return to Vegas”.

The bout took place on January 19, 2019, and the Philippine fighter was able to defend his title, defeating Broner via unanimous decision.

As you can see in our Manny Pacquiao Biography, the Philippine fighter is definitely a legend.