Emmanual Dapidran Pacquiao, better known as Manny Pacquiao, was a Filipino former professional boxer. He was a southpaw and is considered one of the greatest southpaws, and one greatest professional boxers of all time.
When he was young, Pacquaio left his family in The Phillippines and boarded a ship in hopes of training to become a professional boxer. By the time he was 16, he had won his first professional match against Edmund Ignacio, which started a successful boxing run for him.
His nickname “Pacman” was coined early in his career and has since stuck with him. The name comes from the first three letters of his last name, but also comes from the iconic 80’s videogame “Pac-Man”.
Pacquiao ended his professional career with 62 wins, 8 losses, and 2 draws (62-8-2). He also finished with many boxing titles in eight different weight divisions, from Flyweight to Welterweight. He was once considered one of the highest-paid athletes according to Forbes magazine, earning a total of $40 million at one point.
One of the more significant fights in his career was against the undefeated American Floyd Mayweather at the MGM Grand Garden arena in Las Vegas. It was a long-awaited bout against two signature boxers of the era, even being called the “Fight of the Century”. Pacquiao lost to Mayweather, as he was unable to land crucial punches due to having an injured right shoulder.
After his boxing career, Pacquaio decided to go into politics. After serving many political positions for the Phillippines, such as the House of Representatives, he eventually became the senator of the Phillippines, lasting from 2016 to 2022.
Interestingly, Pacquiao once played in the Phillippine Basketball Association. He announced his intention to join as a playing coach back in 2014. Pacquaio was so liked in the basketball world, that he was named an honorary member of the Boston Celtics, and established friendships with NBA superstars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Garnett, and Kobe Bryant.
Pacquiao has even gone into a career in entertainment, releasing two albums and collaborating with other artists. He also has been in several movies and has starred in a Phillippine sitcom called Show Me Da Manny.
Manny Pacquaio is an icon in his own right, not just for boxing, but for all Filipinos and Filipino athletes as well. His impact on sports culture and pop culture has made him one of the most well-known Filipino people in the world.
