From Destroyer to Legend: The Evolution of Manny Pacquiao

By Fernando Jose - He used to be called “The Destroyer”, and rightfully so. ‘Cause as a dynamic 23 year old fighting in the super bantamweight division, destroying the opposition was the only thing running through Pacquiao’s mind whenever he was in the ring. At that time, the skinny southpaw from the Philippines had very little regard for defense and never seemed to care about winning or losing rounds. He was focused on one single goal which was to annihilate the opposition. Though always wild and reckless, he was just too powerful and too aggressive that no one could completely capitalize on his flaws. Manny “The Destroyer” was indeed a very exciting fighter. With sheer violence, he managed to become a two-time world champion. But he wasn’t really what you would call a “great” fighter. Well at least, not yet.

When he decided to move up to 126 and fight Ring featherweight champion Marco Antonio Barrera, Pacquiao was a 4-1 underdog. He defied the odds and beat who was then the third best pound for pound fighter in the world—and that he did in a dominant fashion. Pacquiao threw rapid punches from so many different angles that even Barrera, the great defensive fighter that he was, couldn’t do anything to protect himself.. Pacquiao was quite unorthodox and visibly one dimensional, but he was very successful nonetheless in giving Barrera the worst beating of his life. Beating Barrera who was considered the lineal champ made Pacquiao the man at the featherweight division. After that career-making fight, expectations went sky high for the Filipino.

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Pacquiao to pursue P500M hotel in GSC

By Bong S. Sarmiento

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- How about a "Pacman" hotel?
World boxing superstar Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao is seriously pursuing a career as an investor, revealing late Tuesday night, after playing basketball, his plan to build a P500 million hotel here.


Pacquiao's bid to build a classy hotel comes on top of a recent announcement that he too will develop a multi-million dollar integrated special economic zone also in this city, a locality home to many who've made millions from the tuna industry.
"The hotel will be constructed near the heart of the city. The blueprint of the project is already underway," he said in a phone interview.
From a poor family, Pacquiao rose to fame after beating several famous fighters in different weight classes, including Oscar "The Golden Boy" dela Hoya.

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Pussycat Doll next to sing RP anthem in Pacman bout?

MANILA - After world-class performers Lea Salonga and Charice, it is Nicole Scherzinger’s turn to express her desire to sing the country's national anthem in  People’s Champ Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao's bouts.
Scherzinger, the half Filipino lead singer of popular American pop girl group “Pussycat Dolls,” said, if given a chance, she is willing to sing Lupang Hinirang in one of his fights.
“[It] would be an honor to sing the national anthem. So, let’s make that happen!” she said.
The singer admitted that she is a big fan of the Filipino boxing icon and that she has been following his career.
“I’m so proud of him. I’ve been following him. It’s just awesome to see my kababayans out there like Apl [de Ap of Black Eyed Peas] and Manny… there’s so much pride," she said.

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Manny Pacquiao accepts Fighter of the Year award

Manny Pacquiao accepts his Fighter of the Year award at the Boxing Writers Association of America dinner in New York. In the photo above, he is joined by trainer Freddie Roach, his wife, promoter Bob Arum and BWAA president Jack Hirsch. Below, he poses with Joe Calzaghe, who won the Manager of the Year award. Photos by Gary D. Morgan. 

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Top-paid athletes: Pacman ranks 6th

MANILA, Philippines - Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao made it to Forbes magazine’s list of highest-paid athletes in the world, tying for the sixth spot with basketball phenom Lebron James and golfer Phil Mickelson.
According to Forbes, Pacquiao is the highest-ranking among four of the list’s new entrants, raking in a total of $40 million in the past 12 months. The boxing star is among the eight non-Americans on the list, which had golf icon Tiger Woods ($110 million) at the top.
“Pac-Man hogged the boxing spotlight over the past year with victories in two blockbuster fights against Oscar De La Hoya in December and Ricky Hatton in May that combined for more than $100 million in pay-per-view revenue in the US,” Forbes said in a brief write-up.
“The two blockbuster fights garnered more than 2 million pay-per-view buys in the US and earned Pac-Man $30 million combined.”

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Pacquiao’s fortune

What’s Manny Pacquiao doing in the rarefied company of international sports superstars Tiger Woods of golf, Kobe Bryant of basketball, Kimi Raikkonen of Formula 1, Roger Federer of tennis, Valentino Rossi of motorcycle racing, Dale Earnhardt Jr. of Nascar and David Beckham of football? In terms of money made over the past year, the Pac-Man definitely belongs in that ultra-exclusive club.
Forbes, the magazine, has confirmed what everyone in this country suspected all along: Pacquiao is now one of the world’s highest-paid athletes. On the strength of earnings from his last two blockbuster fights with Oscar dela Hoya and Ricky Hatton, the Pac-Man from GenSan (or is it Saranggani?) pocketed an estimated $40 million over the past 12 months—good enough for sixth place on the mega-earning sports celebrities list.
Pacquiao was the highest-ranked newcomer in the list, which put him in a tie with basketball superstar LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers and world number-two golfer Phil Mickelson. For the eighth straight year, the title of highest-earning sportsman was conferred on golf god Woods, who earned $110 million despite being sidelined by injury for eight months after his dramatic US Open victory last June.

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Estrada endorses Pacquiao candidacy

By Aquiles Zonio
Inquirer Mindanao
First Posted 18:45:00 06/19/2009

poli
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines—He is the icon of the opposition while the other one is a staunch supporter of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
But this did not prevent former president Joseph Estrada, who was sentenced and detained for corruption under Arroyo's government, to support boxing champion Manny Pacquiao's political plans for 2010.
"I am behind his plans," he said in Filipino during a visit here on Thursday.
Pacquiao earlier confirmed his plan to run in the 2010 race for the lone congressional district of Sarangani province.

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