You can call featherweight Manny Pacquiao a lot of things, from short (he stands just 5’6”) to skinny (he tops the scales at weigh-in at 125 lbs), but whatever you do, just don’t call him yellow.

If there’s just one thing that Pacquiao has proven since hitting the limelight in June 2001 and gathering the attention of boxing aficionados with a series of impressive victories, it’s that the Filipino firebomber comes to fight, and he fights as hard as he hits, as recent opponents (and Pound-for-Pound contenders) Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Márquez can attest to.

It was with one devastating straight left cross to Barrera’s chin, knocking the Babyfaced Assassin down in the third round, that the southpaw Pacquiao finally proved his prowess to the whole of the boxing world, a domination of the consensus number-one featherweight that culminated in forecasts of a fruitful future for the phenomenon.

That eleventh-round TKO marked Pac Man’s entry into main events and massive expectations, as the fighter from General Santos City stepped away from the super bantamweight title run that gave him a cult following and spots on televised undercards and toward the spotlight that will hopefully bring megafights and millions of dollars in purses.

Pacquiao, who amassed an amateur record of 60-4, began his professional career in 1995 as a 16 year old flyweight, winning ten times around his home country by year’s end against inexperienced unknowns with ostentatious names like Flash and Rocky, as well as a Renato, a Rodulfo and a Rolando. In the next year he gathered more experience as well as his first loss at his twelfth contest, a third round knockout by an outmatched Rustico Torrecampo that came as Pacquiao tried to put him away. Undeterred, Pacquiao rattled off fifteen consecutive victories, thirteen by way of knockout, bringing himself and a 26-1 (19) record into a September 1999 match-up in Thailand against undefeated prospect Medgoen Singsurat. Once again, Pacquiao fell victim to a KO in the third round as he opened up his guard to throw vicious finishing shots, in the process losing his WBC flyweight title.

Just three months later, Pacquiao stepped up three weight classes, carrying his aggressiveness and power with him as he captured a 122-lb belt, beginning a string of title defenses that enabled him to make a dynamite United States debut on the June 2001 Oscar De La Hoya-Javier Castillejo pay-per-view telecast against the alliterative Lehlohonolo Ledwaba. Another astounding knockout victory was followed by a controversial technical draw to the foul-prone Agapito Sánchez, a TKO of veteran Jorge Eliecer Julio, two KOs in the Phillipines as a homecoming celebration, a TKO against unbeaten Emmanuel Lucero, and the momentous Barrera massacre.

By exhibiting remarkable speed, power, energy and endurance against increasingly daunting opposition, Pacquiao has shown that he will not shy away from a challenge. With pounding bodywork, strong jabs, repetitive one-twos and combinations, as well as the focus and ability to listen to and apply the wisdom of his sensational trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao has developed into an imposingly dangerous yet still incomplete warrior.

Any kinks that need to be worked out were exposed in last May’s draw with Juan Manuel Márquez. The WBA and IBF titlist asserted himself in the first minute and a half, unexpectedly coming forward but landing good straight rights. Quite dramatically, though, it looked like the Mexican champion’s initial control of the bout was a fluke. Over the latter half of the first round, Pacquiao scored three knockdowns as the consequence of an equal amount of hard straight lefts to the chin, severely bloodied Márquez’s nose and gave rise to speculation that the fight would be stopped right then and there. Yet in this obvious candidate for Fight of the Year, Márquez adjusted brilliantly over the remaining eleven rounds, using subtle head movements to dodge Pacquiao’s left hand and counterpunching with right hooks and uppercuts. Pacquiao appeared to be taken off of his game, his arsenal reduced to his straight lefts with no sign of either the committed body punching or cutting off of the ring that he had used against Barrera. Instead, we saw a one-dimensional fighter being outboxed, although the danger present from just that one punch created a palpable tension for the audience, and it is certain that Roach will continue to make his protégé more complete.

Although the fight ended as a majority draw thanks to judge Burt Clements scoring the three-knockdown first round as 10-7 (instead of the assumedly correct 10-6), Pacquiao should be able to move on with his head held high. He has taken an insanely arduous task upon himself by choosing to fight so many of the best so close together, and he shows no signs of slowing down.

Pacquiao, now 38-2-2 (30), is tentatively scheduled to meet Thai Fahsan 3-K Battery this December in the Phillipines as a tune-up bout before a February rematch against Márquez. In the meantime, rabid fans are fantasizing who else he can go to war against, including Oscar Larios, In-Jin Chi and Gairy St. Clair (who is calling Pacquiao out), everyone wanting a piece of the profitable pie that name recognition brings to the table.

If everything goes to plan, Pacquiao will pummel all comers until he get to step up to junior lightwight for a showdown against the rugged Erik Morales. A win in what would surely be a PPV event and he will have replaced Roger Mayweather as the next Mexican Assassin, paving the way for years of excitement and prosperity.

You can call him a superstar in the making and a massive hero to his countrymen, or you can see him as tough yet not invincible, but just don’t underestimate him or else you’ll end up flattened on the canvas, staring into the hot blinding lights.

As his vanquished foes would tell you, this fan-friendly featherweight hits like a ton of bricks.

Thank You For Visiting Our WebSite! Please Come Back And Visit Us Again! Maraming Salamat Sa Inyong Pag Bisita Sa Aming Munting Tahanan! Sanay Kayoy Muling Magbalik :)