Sporting Gold

The Boxing Writers Association of America named Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao, the 2009 Fighter of the Year and Fighter of the Decade.

Pacquiao was earlier named Fighter of the Year for 2009 by both Ring Magazine and ESPN.

The Filipino champion continued his winning streak by scoring a second- round knockout over International Boxing Organization light welterweight champion Ricky Hatton last May, and then capped his run with a triumph over Miguel Cotto to win the World Boxing Organization welterweight title by a 12th-round TKO last November

In the process, Pacquiao won a record-breaking seven world titles in seven different weight divisions and has emerged as a genuine contender for the unofficial accolade of the “Greatest Fighter of All Time,” alongside such illustrious boxers as Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali.

It is Pacquiao’s third Fighter of the Year award in the last four years. He is expected to receive his award at the 85th annual banquet of the BWAA in New York on June 11, the eve of the celebration of Philippine Independence Day.

Pacquiao won the award in the balloting by members of the BWAA over the other nominees – heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, Andre Ward, Paul Williams and Arthur Abraham.

The charismatic southpaw, who is admired for his speed and power in the ring and his humility both in and out of the ring, also beat a roster of great fighters to win the BWAA vote for Fighter of the Decade, including Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera.

His record during the decade was 24-1-2 with his only loss being a 12-round unanimous decision setback in his first clash with Mexican legend Erik” El Terrible” Morales on March 19, 2005, when a nasty gash over his eye suffered in an accidental clash of heads in Round 5 hampered his vision.

However, Pacquiao avenged that loss to Morales twice over, with a 10th- round TKO victory in a rematch on Jan. 21, 2006, and a third-round KO win in the last bout of an epic trilogy on Nov. 18, 2006.

His unmatched performance earned him the Ring Magazine title of pound-for-pound king.

Pacquiao’s celebrated trainer Freddie Roach, who honed his skills and steered him to his second world title in his US debut when he won the IBF super bantamweight title with a sixth-round stoppage of Lelohonolo Ledwaba, will win his fourth “Trainer of the Year” award named in honor of the late Eddie Futch.

Futch, at one time, trained Roach and later on taught him the skills as his assistant trainer. Roach previously won the award in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

 

Related posts:

1. Pacman honored by US sportswriters as Decade’s best
2. Ring Magazine hails Pacman as decade’s best
3. Pacman wins 7th title makes boxing history
4. Julaton wins 3rd straight World Boxing Championship
5. Pacman in Askmen.com’s Most Influential list

 

 

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