Congratulations Manny

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Manny Pacquiao's most recent win, a masterful victory over natural welterweight and world champion Miguel Cotto earned him a spot in history by being the only boxer in the planet so far to win seven world titles in as many weight divisions.

Pacquiao's domination of one of the most dangerous fighters in the sport today silenced critics who had been saying that his winning ways of late have been due his being pitted against washed out or overhyped fighters. The scrawny boy who started his professional boxing career at 106 pounds, won his first world title at 112 pounds, and has now owns the welterweight belt that was put on the line by Cotto when he agreed to fight at a catch weight of 145 pounds.

Freddie Roach, the other half of the dynamic duo that made boxing history yesterday, believes that Manny Pacquiao is a kind of fighter that comes along only once in a lifetime. Not many people in this planet can move up seven weight divisions and keep their speed intact while increasing their power to match or even exceed that of their naturally bigger and stronger opponents and yet Pacquiao has done exactly that in a way that has managed to amaze fans of the sport and dumbfound critics all over the world.

Manny Pacquiao has not only earned the respect of the boxing world with his victories, talent, work ethic and reputation as a clean fighter; he has also won hearts of fans and mere spectators with a demeanor that despite the accolades, the wins, and the millions of dollars, remains unassuming and humble, resisting the temptation to engage in trash talk and simply letting his powerful fists do the talking.

No matter what other pretenders may try to claim, Manny Pacquiao is now the biggest name in boxing, the true pound for pound king, and a perfect example of what the Filipino can achieve. Nobody is in a position to say it better than Miguel Cotto, his defeated opponent who said after their fight: “I have fought all of the greatest welterweights, and Manny is the best”.

Congratulations and mabuhay ka, Manny Pacquiao!*