Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao has been recognized as among the best to ever wear the boxing gloves and step into the ring.
The only eight-time world champion and, no doubt, one of the best fighters of all time has been elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame class of 2025 with the formal induction ceremony set June next year in Canastota, New York.
Pacquiao had a colorful and well-decorated career that spanned from 1995 until 2021 and saw him win titles one after the other from the flyweight to super welterweight division.
“I am so happy that I have been selected to enter the International Boxing Hall of Fame, this certainly is a wonderful Christmas gift,” said Pacquiao in a statement.
“Throughout my career as a professional fighter and a public servant, it has been my goal to bring honor to my country, the Philippines, and my fellow Filipinos around the world.”
With his induction, Pacquiao is now the fourth Filipino and third boxer in the Hall of Fame, joining Gabriel “Flash” Elorde who was enshrined in 1993, Pancho Villa in 1994, and promoter Lope Sarreal Sr. in 2005.
He is also joining trainer Freddie Roach in the elite company.
“Today I am humbled knowing that in June I will receive boxing’s highest honor, joining our national hero, Flash Elorde, as well as my trainer and friend Freddie Roach,” added Pacquiao.
“I am very grateful to those who voted for me, and I look forward to celebrating with family, friends, and fans at Induction Weekend in Canastosa New York,” he added.
Pacquiao retired from professional boxing with a 62-8-2 record with 39 knockouts.
His meteoric rise began in the late 2000s when he figured in numerous thrilling bouts against some of the best boxers of his time including Marco Antonio Barrera, Miguel Cotto, Oscar Dela Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Antonio Margarito.
He had an epic rivalry with Erik Morales, who he fought three times, and Juan Manuel Marquez, who he shared the ring with four times.
Pacquiao also starred along with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the highest grossing fight in history in 2015 dubbed as the “Fight of the Century”.
He has also won 12 major world titles and also became the first boxer to win the lineal championship across five different weight classes.
He was a four-time Ring Magazine ranked No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter from 2008 to 2011 and thrice the Fighter of the Year awardee in 2006, 2008 and 2009. He was also the first boxer ever to become a four-decade world champion, winning titles all across four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s)
(R. Magallon, mb.com)
