Manny Pacquiao is one of the greatest boxers in the history of professional boxing. And now, you can also try 1xB betting on other great names from this sport too. Born on December 17, 1978, in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Philippines, Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao became internationally famous for 3 aspects:
- his incredible speed;
- powerful punches;
- and determination.
Known as “Pac-Man,” he is the only boxer in history to win world championships in 8 different weight divisions. And there is great betting on other successful boxers at 1xBet as well.
Pacquiao began his professional boxing career on January 22, 1995, at just 16 years old. Coming from a poor family, he moved to Manila as a teenager in search of better opportunities.
His early professional fights took place in the lower weight divisions, where he quickly demonstrated his natural talent. In 1998, he won his first major world championship by defeating Chatchai Sasakul of Thailand to become the WBC flyweight champion.
Becoming a superstar of the sport
His international breakthrough came in 2001 when he defeated South African boxer Lehlo Ledwaba to win the IBF super bantamweight title. This victory attracted worldwide attention and established him as a rising boxing star.
During the 2000s, Pacquiao achieved remarkable success against several legendary opponents. He defeated Mexican champions Marco Antonio Barrera and Erik Morales, as well as Juan Manuel Márquez in their first encounter. He also defeated major boxing stars such as Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.
One of his greatest achievements came in November 2010, when he defeated Antonio Margarito to win the WBC super welterweight championship. With this victory, Pacquiao became the first boxer to win world titles in eight different weight divisions, an extraordinary accomplishment in boxing history.
In 2015, Pacquiao faced Floyd Mayweather Jr. in one of the most anticipated fights in boxing history. Although he lost by unanimous decision, the event attracted enormous worldwide attention.
He continued competing at the highest level and, in 2019, defeated Keith Thurman to become the oldest welterweight world champion at that time.
After losing to Yordenis Ugás in 2021, Pacquiao announced his retirement from professional boxing. However, he returned to the ring in July 2025 to face Mario Barrios, with their championship fight ending in a majority draw.
Pacquiao finished his career with an outstanding professional record of 62 wins, 8 losses and 3 draws, including 39 knockouts. His achievements earned him induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame as part of its 2025 class.
