Manny Pacquiao facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Manny Pacquiao
Pacquiao in 2018
Senator of the Philippines
In office June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022
Chair of the Senate Ethics and Privileges Committee
In office September 18, 2018 – June 30, 2022
Preceded by	Tito Sotto
Succeeded by	Nancy Binay
Chair of the Senate Public Works Committee
In office July 25, 2016 – June 30, 2022
Preceded by	Bongbong Marcos
Succeeded by	Bong Revilla
Member of the House of Representatives from Sarangani's district
In office June 30, 2010 – June 30, 2016
Preceded by	Erwin Chiongbian
Succeeded by	Rogelio Pacquiao
Personal details
Born	Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao (1978-12-17) December 17, 1978 (age 46) General Santos, South Cotabato, Philippines
Political party	PFP (2024–present) PDP-Laban (2016-present) PCM (local party; 2009–present)
Other political affiliations	PROMDI (2021–2024) UNA (2012–2016) Nacionalista (2009–2010) Lakas–Kampi–CMD (2008–2009) KAMPI (2007–2008) Liberal (until 2007; 2010–2012)
Spouse	Jinkee Jamora ​ (m. 1999)​
Relations	Bobby Pacquiao (brother)
Children	6
Alma mater	Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (no degree) University of Makati (BA) Philippine Christian University (MPA)
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Manny Pacquiao Statistics Nickname(s) PacMan Rated at List Flyweight Super bantamweight Featherweight Super featherweight Lightweight Light welterweight Welterweight Light middleweight Height 5 ft 5 in Reach 67 in Stance Southpaw Boxing record Total fights 72 Wins 62 Wins by KO 39 Losses 8 Draws 2

Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (born December 17, 1978), known as "PacMan", is a famous Filipino politician, businessman, and former professional boxer. Many people consider him one of the greatest boxers ever. He served as a senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022.

Pacquiao is the only boxer in history to win world titles in eight different weight classes. He has won twelve major world titles. He was the first boxer to win a championship in four different weight classes. He is also the only boxer to hold world championships across four decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s). In 2019, at 40 years old, he became the oldest welterweight world champion. His fights have made over $1.2 billion from pay-per-view events. Forbes magazine ranked him as one of the highest-paid athletes in the world.

In 2010, Pacquiao started his political career. He was elected as a representative for Sarangani. He held this job for six years before becoming a senator in 2016. In 2021, he announced he would run for President of the Philippines in the 2022 election, but he did not win.

Beyond boxing and politics, Pacquiao has also been a basketball coach and player. He even started his own semi-professional basketball league. He has acted in movies and hosted TV shows. He has also released several popular songs. Manny Pacquiao is also an Evangelical Christian preacher, a kind person who helps others, and a business owner.

Early Life and Education

Manny Pacquiao was born Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines. He grew up in General Santos. His parents separated when he was in sixth grade. He is one of six children, and his brother, Bobby Pacquiao, was also a boxer and politician.

When he was 14, Pacquiao moved to Manila. He lived on the streets and worked in construction. He often had to choose between eating or sending money home to his mother. He finished elementary school but had to stop high school because his family was very poor.

In 2007, Pacquiao passed a high school equivalency exam. This meant he earned a high school diploma.

Boxing Career

Manny Pacquiao had a great boxing career. As an amateur, he won 60 fights and lost 4. As a professional, he won 62 fights, lost 8, and had 2 draws. He won 39 of his fights by knockout. Many experts, like boxing historian Bert Sugar, consider him one of the best left-handed fighters ever.

Pacquiao made history by winning world titles in eight different weight divisions. He won twelve major world titles in total. He was the first boxer to win a championship in five different weight classes. He also won major world titles in four of boxing's "glamour divisions" (flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, and welterweight). He is also the first boxer to be a world champion across four different decades.

For a long time, many sports and boxing websites ranked Pacquiao as the best active boxer in the world. He was known for his amazing skills and power. His fights have brought in about $1.3 billion in revenue from pay-per-view events.

On September 29, 2021, Pacquiao announced he was retiring from boxing. However, he did have an exhibition match in July 2024, which ended in a draw.

How Manny Pacquiao Started Boxing

Manny Pacquiao began boxing at age 12. His uncle, Sardo Mejia, introduced him to the sport. Pacquiao said watching Mike Tyson's fight in 1990 changed his life. His uncle started training him in a small gym at home.

After six months, Pacquiao began boxing in a park in General Santos. He soon traveled to other cities to fight stronger opponents. By age 15, he was considered the best young boxer in the southern Philippines. He then moved to Manila to pursue his dream. In January 1995, at 16, he had his first professional boxing match.

Pacquiao shared that he became a fighter to survive. He had nothing and had to depend on himself. He realized he was good at boxing and trained hard to support himself and his family. In December 1998, at 19, he won his first big title, the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title.

Pacquiao with his trainer Freddie Roach

Manny Pacquiao's Famous Fights

Throughout his amazing career, Pacquiao defeated 22 world champions. Some of these include Marco Antonio Barrera, Érik Morales, Juan Manuel Márquez, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, and Miguel Cotto. His last professional fight was against Yordenis Ugás in August 2021.

Awards and Recognitions

Pacquiao has received many awards for his boxing achievements. He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s by several boxing organizations. He also won "Fighter of the Year" multiple times from The Ring magazine and ESPN.

He holds six Guinness World Records. These include having the most consecutive world title wins in different weight classes (15 wins). He is also the oldest welterweight world champion, winning a title at 40 years old. He has won the most boxing world titles in different weight divisions (eight). His fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2015 set records for the highest-selling pay-per-view boxing match and the highest revenue from ticket sales.

Manny Pacquiao and the Olympics

Manny Pacquiao has never competed in the Summer Olympics as a boxer. However, he was the flag bearer for the Philippine team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. This was special because he was the first non-participant to carry the country's flag.

He had a chance to compete in the 2016 Olympics when professional boxers were allowed for the first time. But Pacquiao chose not to. He later showed interest in the 2024 Summer Olympics, but at 45 years old, he was too old to participate due to the 40-year age limit.

How Much Money Manny Pacquiao Earned

Forbes magazine listed Pacquiao as one of the world's highest-paid athletes. In 2009, he earned $40 million. In 2010, he earned $42 million. He was one of the top-earning athletes in the world, thanks to his big boxing matches.

Basketball Career

Pacquiao with the Mahindra Enforcer in 2016

Manny Pacquiao loves basketball. In 2014, he announced he would join the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). He became the playing coach for the Kia Motors Basketball team. He was the oldest rookie ever drafted into the league. Before joining the PBA, Pacquiao trained with NBA teams like the Golden State Warriors. He also became friends with famous NBA players like Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry.

In 2015, Pacquiao played briefly in a game and scored one point. In 2016, he scored a career-high four points and made his first three-point shot. He played less often in later seasons because he had other important duties.

In 2017, Pacquiao started the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, a semi-professional league in the Philippines. He officially retired from the PBA in 2018, having played only ten games. In 2019, he even said he planned to own an NBA team after he retired from boxing.

Political Career

Serving in the House of Representatives (2010–2016)

In 2007, Pacquiao first tried to run for a seat in the House of Representatives of the Philippines. He lost that election. To prepare for his political career, he took courses in development and governance.

In 2009, Pacquiao announced he would run for Congress again, this time in Sarangani province, his wife's hometown. In May 2010, he was elected to the House of Representatives. He won by a large number of votes against a family that had been in power for over thirty years.

He was re-elected in 2013 without anyone running against him. His wife, Jinkee, also became vice-governor of Sarangani. However, Pacquiao was sometimes criticized for missing many Congress sessions due to his other commitments. He filed very few bills, and none of them became law during his six years as a representative.

Serving in the Senate (2016–2022)

Senator Pacquiao, as chair of the Senate Committee on Sports, discusses a proposal seeking to establish a Philippine Boxing Commission.

On October 5, 2015, Pacquiao officially announced he would run for senator. In May 2016, he was elected as a senator. He received over 16 million votes, placing him 7th among the elected senators.

As a senator, Pacquiao filed 31 bills. He also supported bringing back the death penalty. In 2019, he had the worst attendance record among all senators. Despite this, he still helped pass four laws from the bills he filed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Pacquiao worked with Alibaba Group co-founder Jack Ma. They helped bring 50,000 COVID-19 test kits to the Philippines through their charities.

Running for President in 2022

People started talking about Pacquiao running for president as early as 2020. His former boxing promoter, Bob Arum, even said Pacquiao told him he would run and wanted him at his inauguration.

In June 2021, Pacquiao said he thought the government's response to China's claims in the South China Sea was not strong enough. The President at the time, Rodrigo Duterte, criticized Pacquiao for this.

On September 19, 2021, Pacquiao officially announced he would run for President of the Philippines. His main goals were to fight corruption and provide housing for poor families across the country. During the campaign, he struggled in the polls and ended up placing third in the election. He later accepted his loss to Bongbong Marcos.

Entertainment Career

Acting and Hosting

Pacquiao in 2009

As he became more famous, Pacquiao started an acting and hosting career. He appeared on TV shows and signed contracts with major networks like ABS-CBN and GMA Network.

In 2005, he starred in his first movie, Lisensyadong Kamao (Licensed Fist). He also hosted TV shows like Pinoy Records and his own game show, Manny Many Prizes, where he gave out gifts to the audience.

He starred in other films like Anak ng Kumander (Child of a Commander) in 2008 and the superhero comedy Wapakman in 2009. These movies were not very successful. In 2020, he was chosen to play a historical general in an upcoming movie, which got mixed reactions from the general's family.

Music Career

Pacquiao also recorded songs, often used as his entrance music for fights. He released two albums that became very popular in the Philippines. Many of his Tagalog songs were written by Lito Camo, including his biggest hit, "Para Sayo ang Laban Na 'To" (This Fight is For You).

In 2009, Pacquiao sang "Sometimes When We Touch" on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, an American TV show. This was his first time singing on American television. He returned to the show to sing other songs and even appeared with actor Will Ferrell. His version of "Sometimes When We Touch" reached number 19 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in the United States. This made him one of the few Southeast Asians to appear on a US Billboard chart.

In 2015, he released an extended play (EP) that included his entrance song for his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.. Soon after, he announced he was retiring from music, saying, "I love music, but music is not for me."

Here are some of Manny Pacquiao's albums:

• Laban Nating Lahat Ito (2006)
• Pac-Man Punch (2007)
• Lalaban Ako para sa Pilipino (EP) (2015)

Personal Life

Manny Pacquiao married Jinkee Jamora on May 10, 1999. They have five children: Emmanuel Jr. (Jimuel), Michael Stephen, Mary Divine Grace (Princess), Queen Elizabeth (Queenie), and Israel. He also has another son, Eman.

His oldest son, Jimuel, is an amateur boxer, model, and actor. His second son, Michael, is a rapper with many popular songs. His son, Eman, also started boxing in 2023. His daughter, Princess, is a popular YouTube vlogger with millions of subscribers. His daughter, Queenie, was born in the United States.

Pacquiao lives in his hometown of General Santos, Philippines. He also has a YouTube channel where he and his family often post videos about their activities.

Pacquiao was raised Catholic but now practices and preaches Evangelical Protestantism. He said a dream where he saw angels and heard God's voice led him to become a strong believer.

He is also a military reservist in the Philippine Army. He was promoted to the rank of colonel. He first joined the army's reserve force in 2006 as a sergeant.

In 2019, Pacquiao earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Makati. In 2022, he also earned a master's degree in management from Philippine Christian University.

Awards and Recognitions

International Awards

• 2000–2009 Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Decade
• 2001–2010 World Boxing Council Boxer of the Decade
• 2006, 2008 and 2009 Boxing Writers Association of America's Fighter of the Year
• 2008 Sports Illustrated Boxer of the Year
• 2009 and 2011 ESPY Awards Best Fighter
• 2009 TIME 100 Most Influential People
• 2011 Guinness World Records Most boxing world titles in different weight divisions (8 times)
• 2015 Asia Society's Asia Game Changer of the Year

National Awards (Philippines)

• 2000–2009 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Decade
• 2003 Presidential Medal of Merit
• 2006 Order of Lakandula with the rank of "Champion for Life"
• 2008 Philippine Legion of Honor with the rank of "Officer"
• 2009 Order of Sikatuna with the rank of Datu (Grand Cross with Gold Distinction)
• 2010–2019 Philippine Sportswriters Association Athlete of the Decade

Filmography

Film

Television

TV Documentary Films

Images for kids

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  Pacquiao in 2018

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  Manny Pacquiao's signature

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  Manny Pacquiao and Jinkee Pacquiao with U.S. Senators Harry Reid and Daniel Inouye

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  Pacquiao during an election motorcade in Marikina, February 2022

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  Pacquiao (left) with Isko Moreno (center) and Leni Robredo (right) during the 2nd presidential debate