So, Fairytales begin. Manny Pacquiao (speak: Pak-yao) wasn't furthered very much by luck, when he - born in 1976 – grows up together with five other siblings in a shabby cottage of General Santos City. General Santos City has a bit of New York’s "Bronx quarters", where economic hopelessness and poverty are prevailing, criminal gangs are playing their dreadful trade and separatists are building bombs. The parents separated very early and now the mother Dionisia tries to overcome the desperate situation by doing some casual works. Even the neighbors have pity with the family starving at poverty.

The young Manny visits the Primary School and is classified as an intelligent pupil. The mother dreams, that he could become a priest. He, however, drops out of school because he wants to help the family in her need with some money earned by own work. Henceforth he sells bread and doughnuts on the streets and helps the mother with her wash-works for other people. Already with eleven years he goes in his leisure time to the local gym to do boxing training there. A carton stuffed with textiles served him as a sandbag.

With fourteen years he goes as a stowaway on board of a ship with course to Manila. There he is at first left on his own. Later he works as a construction helper – not losing his vision to belong in the future to the best of the sport of boxing. He attends pro-boxing circuits and soon it becomes aware that he is fighting like "a crazy dog". He is considered as a wild, not very disciplined young boy and outside of the boxing ring he isn't averse to alcohol and occasionally engaged in gambling. In between, he even leaves the Roman Catholic Church.

Early boxing

As from January 1985 the 1.65 meter small southpaw boxer starts his first professional fights in the flyweight (weight limit: 50.8 kg) primarily against Philippine opponents. From 1995 – 1997 he puts up altogether 23 professional fights: of these fights he wins 22, 14 by KO. He merely loses in February 1996 one fight against Rustico Torrecampo by KO in the third round. Later he admits, that he neglected his training and was too self-confident and carelessly in the unhappy fight. Well, he was tripped up by imprudence. In December 1998 he wins the WBC- Flyweight belt in a fight against the Thai Chartchai Sasakul at Bangkok. In two following fights he succeeds in defending successfully his belt. Nevertheless, then in September 1999 he has to pass the belt to Medgoen Singsurat because of a KO- jab in the third round.

In the following years under his manager Nazario Manny Pacquiao gets into higher weight classes. In June 2001 he wins at Las Vegas a fight against the South African Ledwaba by technical KO in the sixth round. Now he is owner of the IBF title in the super bantamweight class (weight limit: 55.2 kg); he can’t get the WBO title in the same weight class, since his fight against Agapito Sanchez ends only with a drew. However, the Filipino defends his IBF title successfully in four further fights against challengers like the Mexican Emmanuel Lucero.

His manager brings him together with the respected American coach Freddie Roach. Roach recognizes immediately the aggressive potential, body speed and fearlessness of Manny. He tries to learn "Pac-Man" or "Destroyer" - so the nicknames of Pacquiao - more discipline and tactical skills.

2003 – The impressive fight against Barrera

The next test in front of a huge American audience and televised on HBO takes place in November 2003 in San Antonio, Texas. Fight opponent is, the 29-year old Mexican featherweight Marco Antonio Barrera. Barrera is assessed as one of the strongest featherweights of the world and is owner of the "People champion" belt. Barrera had to undergo in 1997 a skull operation and fights with a metal skull cap since then. Pacquiao prepares for the upcoming fight very intensively and with staying power. His coach reports, that due to his blows quite a number of sparring partners escaped and he had to take sparring partners of the next higher weight-classes.

Pacquiao slips in the first round to the floor, then he dominates the following rounds thanks to his speed and aggressive fighting strength. In round number 3 Barrera and Barrera is up to the count of 6, his movements become slower and the face starts to swell. The corner of Barrera decides to give up the fight in the 11th round. After his glorious victory Pacquiaos name becomes more popular starts in America, at least now his name is mostly pronounced correctly. Pacquiao got for his victory round about $700.000. At his return in Manila his vehicular convoy is enthusiastically welcomed by hundreds of thousands. Broadcasting and television stations are keen on interviews. Pacquiao are offered roles in films and shootings in commercials. From president Arrayo he gets a medal of merit and the congress gives him a medal of honour. Now in time of crises the country finds a missed hero and disgraced are all the ones, claiming that the Philippines do not have anything in common with fighting sports.

2004 -- The grip at the IBF and WBA world championship in the featherweight class

There have been heated debates in advance, who would be the winner in the fight Pacquiao against the Mexican Juan Manuel Marques, owner of the IBF and WBA featherweight class's belt. A very scarce and narrow fight was expected. The following advantages and disadvantages of the two opponents have been discussed:

A sum fight of $ 500.000 is guaranteed to Pacquiao. He trains very hard for the exhausting fight. It is told, that he even broke the ribs of sparring partners. Both sides are very confidently with respect to a victory. Marques sounds: "Pacquiao will have a bad waking up ", while the coach of the Philippine challenger conjures the warrior virtues of his protégé.

The fight starts with a disastrous round for Marquez. He is sent to the ground by Manny three times in the opening round. He appears to be disoriented. However, Marquez gets on his feet at the count of eight. The round-gong saves him. In the second round Pacquiaos left hand ached and swelled and in the following rounds Marques comes back in kick and is collecting points. In the sixth round Manny suffers from an eye injury and his face swells up. Even so, the grim fight lasts up to the twelfth round. Observers notice that 148 of 639 punches from Pacquiao were successful, while Marquez landed 58 successful blows with a total number of 547. But only the scores of the referees are decisive. Both boxers believe to have won the compelling fight, when the three referees announce her scores: for 115-110 for Pacquiao, 114-110 for Marquez, 113 -113! This means the fight ended with a draw ! Marquez keeps his two titles, while Pacquiao stands there with empty hands. Later one of the referees will frankly admit, that he has miscounted the first round about one point to the disadvantage of Manny. One point more – and Manny would have won the fight. The Filipino lacked this point to the victory. A protest of Pacquiaos management fails. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) is refusing a correction of the results, perhaps because the betting moneys have already been settled. Pacquiao is disappointed. Later he makes his cheap bought socks responsible for his diminishing fighting power. They caused him painful blisters and following cramps.

Nevertheless, he gets very proud when he gets the information that Muhammed Ali has also seen the fight on television. Muhammed Ali is convinced that Manny should have won the fight clearly. In the conversation he praises Pacquiao as a "Little Ali". Back in Manila President Arrayo nevertheless organizes a "victory party". And Pacquiao will support her also in her presidential election campaign in 2004. Both managers announced a coming rematch between Marquez and Pacquiao.

The life in the relative luxury

Pacquiao has now come to fame and wealth in the country. He is proudly wearing two fat golden watches - one with a value of over 15.000 dollars - and he has two houses in General Santos City and in Davao. The houses are protected by security personal since a robbery and kidnapping threats with respect to his children occurred. Four upper class cars are at his disposal. He noticed also an increase of his relatives. First he thought, he has round about thirty relatives, now he is counting over 2000 relatives. Real and putative friends circle around the generous Manny like satellites. Let’s hope, that the riches don't turn him away too fast from the sport of boxing and that his wealth remains preserved. Rolando Navarrete from Nanny’s hometown is an example how quickly a slide down on the social ladder could happen. This boxer wasted his talent and his small fortune and is now sitting in prison because of a raping crime. He was grateful when Manny gave him some hundred dollars.

Future prospects

Anyway even if Pacquiaos glory should fade one day - the Filipinos don't need to be concerned because there are still a number of other outstanding boxers in the country. In the world-charts of WBO, WBC, WBA and IBF (list from 05.08.2004 ranking places 1-10) quote altogether 14 Philippine boxers in the lower weight classes up to welterweight, which strive for even higher position-places and titles.

The Philippines – a little ambitious country with regard to sport disciplines? With reference to the sport of boxing this assertion surely isn't valid. It may be correct with regard to many other competitive sports. But critics should also consider that numerous top-sports that follow the maxim "higher, quicker, further" prefer the tall athlete type. The rather short average Filipino (even if there is a length growth within the last decades) has trouble getting along these physical requirements. Furthermore, it should be considered, that industrial nations can subsidize top-athletes unequally higher as a developing country like the Philippines.

© Wolfgang Bethge, in 2004