Manny Pacquiao

A skinny boy only 98 pounds enters the ring fighting to to support his family. This was the start of a brilliant career that showed how a boy shaped into a man. Manny Pacquiao, a Filipino boxer, took up the sport to provide for his family. Pacquiao’s ambition to help his family soon revealed his talents in the ring. His success proved to people how a fantastic career can be born from one’s determination. From poverty to fame his goal in boxing changed as he was a main source of inspiration to the Philippines. Later on in his career Manny Pacquiao showed even more care for his country by becoming a Senator in the Philippines’ House of Representatives. Pacquiao’s impeccable hand speed is what he’s known for. His excitement in the ring makes the people attracted to his boxing personality. His story from poverty to success showed his undebatable determination not just in the ring but outside. He has been through the most exciting boxing wars that had cemented his career as one of the most elite. Manny Pacquiao’s persistence to get his family out of poverty was his selfless act of kindness. His journey wasn’t straightforward and when he could easily give up, he didn’t. That mentality to keep moving forward is one of the factors that led Manny to where he is today and where he could be in the future. Boxer Manny Pacquiao working hard for his country and his sport, persisting through his obstacles, and inspiring the world makes him a hero.

Manny Pacquiao holds WBO belt with fellow senatorAriel Cagadas [Public domain]Pacquiao may be a world-class boxer, however, he puts his country ahead of him and is hardworking. To completely understand Pacquiao’s life, you have to understand the beginning. Pacquiao grew up poor with a scarce amount of  food and took up boxing as a way to get his family out of that situation: “He grew up there with a family so poor, they often went to bed having only drunk warm water for dinner. To earn money, he dropped out of school as a teenager to fight at local fiestas…” (Chi). Manny Pacquiao had to work hard for his family to support them. Despite his situation in poverty, he was able to overcome his obstacles to eventually reach success. Pacquiao started at the absolute bottom and his hardworking was shown through his actions. He wanted to fight to support his family and it takes a huge amount of work put his family on his shoulders. Outside of boxing Pacquiao has also had is work cut out for him in politics and other careers. He wants to challenge himself and continue to work. “A prize-winning boxer...elected to the House of Representatives (for the Philippines) and the senate in the Philippines and has pursued acting and singing careers/”(Biography.com Editors). Even though Pacquiao is a boxer, he still wants to work and provide for his country in as many ways as he can. He aids his people and entertains them with his acting. Pacquiao's priorities and hard work are always for his people. He's selfless in his acts of work. Manny Pacquiao’s hard work through his boxing and politics are an important part of his heroism.

Pacquiao’s ability to bounce back from difficult losses and climb his way out of poverty, make him persistent. Manny Pacquiao has overcome boxing in his boxing career. In hopes of a mega fight with Floyd Mayweather, Pacquiao took on fights that made that fight unlikely. He had lost two fights that he took because he had no one else to fight. Despite the disappointment, Pacquiao persisted his way back into the sport after those setbacks:“In desperate need of a rebound after two straight losses, Pacquiao chose to fight Brandon Rios in November 2013” (Biography.com Editors). Even though Pacquiao lost two fights consecutively , he didn’t let them deter his passion for boxing. Pacquiao could have easily hung up his gloves, but he didn’t and still had the desire to fight. He still wanted to box for his country to make his people happy. Pacquiao’s humble beginnings also didn’t phase him. His surroundings and where he group up was a discouraging place in the Philippines: “In the southern Philippines city of General Santos, there is a dusty little barangay, or village, where boxer Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao recalls having slept in the streets, starving and hungry” (Chi). Where Manny Pacquiao lived was not a forgiving town. That place was meant for people to fail. However, Manny was not one of those failures. He didn’t want to let his life discourage him. Throughout the horror of his town, he stayed strong and kept working to become successful.  Pacquiao never gave up, and his mentality is what got him out of such a discouraging place . Manny Pacquiao’s persistence in and outside of the ring, helped him succeed; and is why he is deemed a hero.

Manny Pacquiao is a hero because he has worked hard throughout his life, persisted in his career, and inspired people through his works. His story about coming from poverty to becoming successful and fighting in boxing's most exciting fights, inspire people around the globe. A hero’s main attributes include persistence and hard work. Pacquiao has demonstrated those key details through his life.  Pacquiao fought in a David vs Goliath fight. He stepped up to the plate to fight a man who people thought was stronger and definitely significantly taller than him. On fight night Pacquiao silenced the critics by letting his boxing talents do the talking: “When it was determined that Pacquiao would fight American boxer Oscar De La Hoya, many observers speculated that Pacquiao was out of his league...he also outweighed Pacquiao by 20 pounds... However, Pacquiao made headlines when he beat De La Hoya in an eighth-round technical knockout” (Biography.com Editors). Pacquiao’s actions in the ring that fight showed people that it doesn’t matter what people to say to you and how the odds seem to stack up on paper. What really matters is what how much you believe in yourself and your gifts to take down the giant that you may have to face. Pacquiao inspired people in that fight and he continues to inspire me. His achievements and raw excitement in the ring give me a feeling that anything is possible. “Pacquiao is the first boxer ever to win eleven world titles in eight different weight divisions...On May 2, 2009, Pacquiao won a title in a fifth weight class when he defeated Ricky Hatton. Hatton had held the International Boxing Organization's light welterweight title until the bout in Las Vegas with Pacquiao. Pacquiao handily beat him in a second-round knockout” .(Biography.com Editors). Most importantly, his story gives me belief that my goals are possible. I learned from his story that circumstances don’t define you but your determination and belief. People can learn from Pacquiao’s life that your goals can benefit you as well as many others. Manny started boxing as a way to provide for his family but it soon turned out to become something bigger than himself and boxing. He was able to get his family out of poverty and in doing so, became an icon worldwide. His leadership led to politics in the Philippines. If you take a look at Pacquiao’s life he can serve as a hero to you just like he’s a hero to me. Everytime Pacquiao is scheduled to fight, I will tune into the tv with my family and watch my put a smile on my face. He has given people more than just boxing but hope and happiness. Pacquiao is no longer a skinny boy who is boxing to survive. He is a man who is my hero and that I will forever look up to until my time passes.

Works Cited

Biography.com Editors. “Manny Pacquiao.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 16 July

2018, www.biography.com/people/manny-pacquiao-20851009.

Chi, Leisha. “The Pac Man Effect: Boxer Boosts Philippines Economy.” BBC News, BBC, 3

May 2015, www.bbc.com/news/business-32548719.

"Manny Pacquiao challenges Floyd Mayweather to a rematch." CNN Wire, 20 Jan. 2019.

Student Resources In Context,

https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A570380997/SUIC?u=powa9245&sid=SUIC&xid=d3a18de8. Accessed 26 Mar. 2019.