Eight-weight division world champion Manny Pacquiao will look to become the second oldest ever world champion in professional boxing on July 19th.
When he challenges Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas.
But people don’t realize Pacquiao went from poverty to the top of the world, he’s been fighting since he’s actually been a kid of 12.
Not far removed from a time where his father according to reports ate the family dog because they were so poor.
Speaking to the Boxing Writer’s Association in America’s first ever videographer, Sean Zittel, Pacquiao said of the journey:
“The four-year layoff from boxing was good for my body because I’ve been in boxing since I was 12 years old. I started when I was 12, and it continued non-stop. So, it was good for my body to rest for four years. Now I’m back, and I feel so excited, the same excitement I felt before in training camp—everything, the dedication, everything. I have that in mind.”
12 to 46 in the fight game, that puts things into perspective.
What a fighter Pacquiao to be around that long in fighting.
Pacquiao also noted his last actual fight in professional boxing against Cuban Ugas, at that time, that he was a bit distracted because of an old management company.
The Ugas fight has been almost four years now, to note.
Not the case this time on July 19th in terms of distractions though, he moved on from that management company and agent.
This weekend Pacquiao will also be inducted in the official 2025 Hall of Fame in boxing — the highest honor in the entire sport — only for a select few.