MANILA – Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao is set to be inducted into the 2025 International Boxing Hall of Fame, making him the second Filipino in the list after compatriot and boxing legend Gabriel “Flash” Elorde.
Pacquiao, who gained the distinction of being boxing’s only eight-division world boxing champion, will be enshrined at the Hall of Fame in a ceremony scheduled for June 5-8, 2025 in Canastota, New York.
The boxer-turned-politician will join fellow boxers Michael Nunn and Vinny Paz and ring official Kenny Bayless among 14 individuals to be handed the honor.
“I am so happy that I have been selected to enter the International Boxing Hall of Fame. This certainly is a wonderful Christmas gift,” said Pacquiao in a statement.
Elorde, a former super featherweight champion, was the first Asian inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
“I am humbled knowing that in June, I will receive boxing’s highest honor, joining our national hero, Flash Elorde, as well as my trainer and friend Freddie Roach,” said Pacquiao.
It was a storied boxing career for Pacquiao, which started when he scored a four-round unanimous decision win over Edmund Enting Ignacio in January 1995 at Sablayan.
Pacquiao went on to dominate his succeeding bouts and later capture world championship at flyweight, super bantamweight, super featherweight, lightweight, super lightweight, welterweight, super welterweight, and bantamweight.
Along the way, Pacquiao defeated fellow boxing legends such as Oscar dela Hoya, Marco Antonio Barrera, Eric Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, Miguel Cotto, Shane Mosley, Antonio Margarito, Oscar Larios, Ricky Hatton, Timothy Bradley, Adrien Broner, and Keith Thurman.
Pacquiao also suffered a handful of defeats to American fighter Floyd Mayweather Jr., Jeff Horn and Cuban Yordenis Ugas during his last fight in August 2021.
The Filipino boxing legend left the sport with a career record of 62 wins (39 by way of stoppages), eight losses and two draws./PN
