Is it possible for a single person to have the ability to inspire an entire nation? Of course it is – and we don’t have to look further than our very own beautiful South Africa, where former president Nelson Mandela was able to not only inspire our nation to move forward together, but he also managed to have the entire planet captivated by his unique “Madiba Magic”. And as if to further prove that inspiration knows no boundaries or limits, who would’ve thought that a professional boxer would also have the ability to provide that same level of inspiration?
If your name happens to be Manny Pacquiao, then this source of inspiration from a relatively unlikely source begins making sense. The personification of the ideal that “your past doesn’t define the person you have the ability to become”, Pacquiao might have grown up in a poor family in the Philippines – but his is a story of unparalleled success which has inspired the entire Filipino nation. Think of it this way: Which other professional boxer that you know of, has the ability to actually bring the crime rate down during one of their championship fights? It might sound like a Chuck Norris-inspired joke, but police in Manila have claimed that during a Pacquiao fight, crimes drop drastically – and in a country with roughly 90.5 million citizens, this indicates that even criminals are prepared to put their nefarious activities on the backburner to watch the eight-division world boxing champ in action. Either way you choose to look at it, that’s actually pretty impressive!
The “Fight of the Century” is mere days away; with this coming Saturday evening (2 May) being the proverbial “D-Day” where boxing history – no matter the outcome of this title match – will be made! Lotto Star recently ran a simply fantastic competition, where a set of double tickets to this fight (along with an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas) was up for grabs; and when it finally came down to the draw where the winner’s name would be announced, Samantha Cary emerged victorious. No doubt that Samantha and her partner are having the time of their lives in Vegas as we speak – all while gearing up to watch this epic fight LIVE!
Manny Pacquiao might be a world-famous boxer, but that hasn’t stopped this ambitious powerhouse from wanting to diversify his portfolio – which he has managed to do so, with great success. While his Southpaw boxing style has seen him claim 57 wins in 64 total fights (which we all know and respect him for), there are many facets to this interesting 36-year old where, in his world, nothing is impossible to achieve.
- PACQUIAO: THE POLITICIAN
When he’s not busy claiming professional boxing titles or being named “Fighter of the Decade” by world boxing media, Pacquiao leads a very successful career in politics in his native Philippines. He first ventured into politics in 2007, when he announced that he would be running for a seat in the Philippine House of Representatives during that year’s May legislative election; where his aim was to represent the 1st District of South Cotabato province.
Since his election campaign was hastily put together at the very last minute, he was easily defeated by his competitor, Darlene Antonino-Custodio. After taking a step back and devising a new attack strategy, he decided to run for House of Representatives again in 2010; but this time representing the Sarangani province, where his wife is from. The eventual result was Pacquiao scoring a landslide victory over the well-established Chiongbian clan, who had been in power for more than three decades. Since being elected to the House of Representatives, Pacquiao has carefully maintained his political game; with no intention of giving it up anytime soon. Would it really surprise you if he ran for Speaker (the head of the HoR) at some point in the future…?
- PACQUIAO: THE BASKETBALL PLAYER
One would ordinarily think that being great at a single particular sport discipline would be sufficient, especially if it’s helped massively in accumulating a personal net worth of nearly R1.6 billion! But in the world of Manny Pacquiao, this was clearly not the case – after all, why limit yourself? Did you know that not only is he a huge basketball fanatic and a professional player, but he’s also an honorary member of the Boston Celtics team?
As a means of showing his gratitude for being awarded his very own green and white Boston Celtics jersey, he gave each player an autographed red boxing glove; probably worth a pretty penny on eBay after the upcoming Fight of the Century – not that any of the Celtics players would be keen on parting with their prized possessions though, that’s for sure! These valuable memorabilia were secretly left in each player’s locker before the March 10, 2010 game against the Memphis Grizzlies; and what a great surprise to be greeted by after a long, hard game – right? On 17 April 2014, Pacquiao announced his decision to become a part of the Philippine Basketball Association as the playing coach of the Kia Motors Basketball team. Newly-formed though, the team finished 11th in the 2014-15 PBA season. At least they’ll be able to rest in the confidence that the only way is up – especially with Pacquiao at the helm!
- PACQUIAO: THE SINGER/ACTOR
Pacquiao kicked off his acting career as an an extra in some locally-produced Filipino films, and also managed to secure the occasional guest appearance on ABS-CBN network shows. In 2005 he landed his first lead role in Violett Films’ Lisensyadong Kamao (Licensed Fist); which was aptly-named because, as a boxer, he is licensed to use his fists. Since then, Pacquiao has enjoyed a relatively successful acting career – not exactly A-list celebrity-type stuff, but still noteworthy nonetheless.
As if tackling the silver screen wasn’t enough, the Pac-Man has also recorded a number of songs; the most recent of which is ‘Lalaban Ako Para sa Pilipino’, which loosely translates as ‘I am going to fight for Filipinos’ – and in true Pacquiao fashion, it will be used as his entrance song for Saturday evening’s encounter versus Mayweather Jr.
- PACQUIAO: THE PHILANTHROPIST
Pacquiao is well-known for his philanthropy, especially in his native and beloved Philippines. This should come as no surprise though, given his disadvantaged upbringing. As a born-again Christian, he regularly donates funds in order to build churches within communities; as well as actively contributing towards disaster relief and those who are in need. He might have the ability to deliver a brutal, knock-out punch; but Pacquiao’s heart is definitely in the right place. This man is the definition of a true hero for the masses!
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