For excelling while serving his people on two continents, Pacquiao is USA TODAY's Fighter Of The Year. His next fight will be May 7 in Las Vegas against an aging Sugar Shane Mosley in a welterweight matchup. Not exactly Pacquiao-Mayweather.
Pacquiao was elected to congress in his native Philippines in May, and amid endless distractions, the world's top pound-for-pound fighter fought twice at Cowboys Stadium before close to 100,000 fans. He nearly shut out two of the toughest fighters around in Joshua Clotteyand Margarito, giving up 5 inches and 17 pounds to Margarito.
What is there left to say about the Pac Man?? He fought just twice this year, on both occasions in front of huge audiences at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas plus of course Millions Around the World on TV.
First was a routine victory against the out-classed Joshua Clottey, who entered the ring with solid credentials only to freeze on the big occasion, bringing little to the table as Pacquiao recorded a wide points win.
But it was the second occasion when the popular Filipino made History, winning in an Eighth Weight Class when he pummelled Antonio Margarito to a Brutal Lop-Sided points defeat.
It is just over 10 years since Pacquiao left the flyweight division behind, yet here he was taking on the teak-tough yet controversial Margarito for the WBC light-middleweight crown.
And although few could envisage a Margarito win, there is always the thought that one day the diminutive Pac Man will bump into a fighter who is simply too big and too strong.
Margarito had an official 6lb weight advantage over his opponent which was probably closer to a stone come fight night, but it mattered little as once again Pacquiao's lightning speed, his variety and volume of punches overwhelmed the former two-weight champion.
The Mexican was not long out of a 12-month suspension for being found to have loaded gloves before a previous fight, but his courage was there for all to see as he continued to stand in front of his opponent despite taking so many accurate blows that he ended the fight with a fractured cheekbone.
He did hurt Pacquiao with a body shot midway through the contest but that was just about as good as it got, and Margarito did well to reach the final bell despite his opponent giving the referee every chance to step in during the final two rounds.
Pacquiao had become a CongressMan earlier in the year but his desire to please the beleaguered Filipino people shows no sign of dimming, and his conduct both in and out of the ring is a lesson to his fellow professionals.
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