...pambansang kamao

Pacquiao named for 'Boxer of Decade' award

December 20, 2010

mb.com.ph

The Pambansang Kamao in Action. The punch that Margarito never forgets.

MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao heads a cast of champions nominated by the World Boxing Council (WBC) for the coveted Boxer of the Decade (2001-2010) award.

Also vying for the award are Americans Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather, Ukrainian Vitali Klitschko, Mexican Erik Morales and Thai Pongsaklek Wonjongkam.

Pacquiao was also nominated for the Boxer of the Year award, alongside Argentinian Sergio Martinez and Canadian Jean Pascal.

The WBC, headed by Jose Sulaiman, said the winners of the awards will be announced by the end of the year.

The past ten years have been amazing and memorable for Pacquiao, who fought a total of 19 times on US soil, winning 16 (12 by KOs), drawing twice and losing only once.

Since his electrifying American debut in June 2001, Pacquiao has been in the ring with the crème dela crème of prizefighting, racking up victories over the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Miguel Cotto, Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.

This year alone, Pacquiao chalked up two impressive wins over much bigger men: Joshua Clottey of Ghana and Antonio Margarito of Mexico.

In 2011, Pacquiao is booked to surface possibly against Shane Mosley in a welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas after a year-long absence.

Through the years, Pacquiao has received award from almost every award-giving body.

The 32-year-old Pacquiao, regarded as the current pound-for-pound king, has won the Fighter of the Year award from the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) three times, the same number of times The Ring magazine also named him for the same award.

The BWAA also named Pacquiao The Fighter of the Decade aside from being recognized by sports publications as the world’s premier puncher.