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Revision as of 23:52, 20 August 2004 by 202.57.93.45 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao is the reigning People's Featherweight Champion of the World (2003 to present) former IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (2001 to 2004) and former WBC Flyweight Champion (1998 to 1999). Only 25 of age, he has already compiled an impressive 38 Wins, 2 Loses, and 2 Draws record, with the 29 wins coming way out of a knock-out.
The boxer hailing from General Santos City, "The Tuna Capital of the World", Philippines is also dubbed as "The Destroyer" by his peers in the boxing world. It is because of the way he dominates and sweeps over his challengers and opponents. He has a devastating left punch that has the ability to end the match in an instant.
Manny Pacquiao started to impress the boxing world on his first American soil debut fight against the classy and highly ranked South American fighter Lehlohonolo Ledwaba, whom he overpowered, and knocked-out in the 6th round. Pacquiao captured the IBF 122lbs. Super Bantamweight Title and continued to defend it flawlessly, demolishing 5 tough, classy challengers in a row, which includes the then unbeaten Jorge Eliecier Julio and Emmanuel "The Butcher" Lucero to name a few.
But it was the match against his childhood boxing idol, the venerable and legendary Marco Antonio Barrera of Mexico that defined his career. Manny Pacquiao has been dreaming and training hard in his entire career in boxing for this match. Fortunately, his perseverance and hardwork paid off as he pummelled Marco Antonio Barrera into submission in a stunning 11th round Technical Knock-out, Barrera's corner throwing in the towel. The Pacman captured the People's Featherweight Title from Barrera. With his performance, Pacquiao established himself as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Putting the Philippines again in the map of boxing world after producing such great warriors in the past such as Gabriel "Flash" Elorde and Pancho Villa.
Manny's march to greatness continued as he goes on to challenge another classy and technical Mexican boxer, Juan Manuel Marquez, holder of the WBA and IBF Featherweight Title. A dangerous counter-puncher whom experts predicted will prevail over Manny Pacquiao because of his superior boxing skills. The fight turned out to be one of the greatest Featherweight clashes in the history of boxing. Manny Pacquiao's superior handspeed and punching power was displayed early as storms Marquez with lightning jabs and straight lefts, sending the Mexican Champion three times only in the first round. However, Marquez, bloodied nose and everything, proved that he has the heart of a Champion, as he rose to the challenge and continued to finish the match till the 12th round, survived by his counter-punching and boxing skills.
The match ended up in a controversial draw, some say that Pacquiao should have won by at least 2 points by virtue of his 3 knockdowns over Marquez in the 1st Round, while others believed that it was a fair decision because Marquez seemed to have equalized by points because of his accurate counter-punching after the earlier rounds. But it was the discrepancy in the score cards that caused massive clamour from boxing fans around the world, one of the judges admitted that he forgot a certain rule on the awarding of points whenever a boxer gets knocked down 3 times in a single round, this mistake by a judge proved fatal to Pacquiao's quest for greatness, because it was certain that he only needs a point or two to capture the current WBA and IBF Featherweight Championship of the World.
A rematch is surely needed to decide who is the king of the featherweights. Meanwhile, While Juan Manuel Marquez and camp declined to an immediate rematch with Manny Pacquiao, Pacquiao is set to defend his People's Featherweight Title with a rematch against the venerable and resurging Marco Antonio Barrera. Barrera said that what happened on their first fight was a result of unpreparedness on his part and has vowed to reclaim his throne in the Featherweight Division.
The People's Champion, Manny Pacquio is more than ready for the new challenge. The march for greatness continues on.
--202.57.93.45 23:52, 20 Aug 2004 (UTC)
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