Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao, (born December 17, 1978
in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Mindanao, Philippines) is a
Filipino professional boxer. He is a former world
champion at IBF Super Bantamweight, and WBC
Flyweight divisions. His younger brother, Bobby
Pacquiao, is a lightweight boxer.
Pacquiao started his professional boxing career in
1995 at 106 pounds (Light flyweight) at the age of
16. His early fights usually took place in small
venues and were shown on Vintage Sports' Blow by
Blow evening boxing show (hosted by John Ray
Betita). His professional debut was a four-round
bout against Edmund Ignacio on January 22, 1995,
which Pacquiao won via decision, thus becoming an
instant star of the program.
His weight increased from 106 to 113 pounds before
losing in his 12th bout against Rustico Torrecampo
via a third round technical knockout (TKO). As
well-known sportscaster Joaquin "Quinito" Henson
observed, Pacquiao clearly had not made weight, so
he was forced to use heavier gloves than Torrecampo,
thereby putting Pacquiao at a disadvantage.[citation
needed]
Shortly after the Torrecampo fight, Pacquiao settled
at 112 pounds, winning the WBC Flyweight title over
Chatchai Sasakul in the eighth round only to lose it
in his second defense against Medgoen Singsurat, or
Medgoen 3K Battery, via a third round knockout on a
bout held at Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand.
Technically, Pacquiao lost the belt at the scales by
surpassing the required weight of 112 lb (51 kg).
Following his loss to Singsurat, Pacquiao gained
weight anew, this time stopping at the super
bantamweight division of 122 lb (55 kg) where he
picked up the WBC International Super Bantamweight
title, defending it five times before his next world
title fight came.
Pacquiao’s big break came on June 23, 2001, against
IBF Super Bantamweight champion Lehlohonolo Ledwaba.
Pacquiao stepped into the fight as a late
replacement and won the fight by technical knockout
to become the IBF Super Bantamweight champion on a
bout held at MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada. He
defended this title four times.
