Manny Pacquiao in the making

The Kid from General Santos City
Manny Pacquiao ran away from his impoverished home at the age of 14 in order to lessen the burden on his mother, who was raising six children alone in General Santos City in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. He found work in Manila in warehouses and construction sites but drifted back to his great love, boxing. He turned pro in 1995 when he was 16 — and a light flyweight at just 106 lbs.

Epic Combat: The Morales Trilogy
With pure energy his only real momentum, Pacquiao managed to rise in the world rankings, surviving defeats, knockdowns and knockouts. But, after a dramatic 2001 win in Vegas where he was a late substitute, Pacquiao met legendary coach Freddie Roach, who would transform his style and provide a mostly winning formula — until Pacquiao met the formidable Mexican Erik Morales in March 2005. Pacquiao lost in a unanimous, 12-round decision. The pair would meet in two more ferocious, eagerly followed rematches that bookended 2006, with Pacquiao defeating Morales both times, the first by TKO, the second by knock-out.

The Other Epic: Drawing Marquez
Before the Morales trilogy, Pacquiao had a titanic 2004 war with another Mexican, Juan Marquez, with the world featherweight titles on the line. Pacquiao knocked Marquez down three times but the Mexican only came back to apparently outpoint the Filipino in the other rounds. In a controversial decision, the judges declared the fight a draw. Four years later, in a rematch that also went the distance (photo above), both fighters ended the fight believing they had won. The judges produced a split decision — giving the win to Pacquiao, who took the super featherweight title.

Defeating the Legend: Oscar De La Hoya
With no title at stake Pacquiao fought de la Hoya to add pounds to qualify to fight at welterweight. Most analysts thought the extra burden would slow him down if not nullify his power. But Pacquiao's ferocity through eight rounds eventually convinced de la Hoya's corner to throw in the towel at the beginning of the night. Some commentators would later say that de la Hoya was undertrained and over-hyped but the Filipino's victory, coming at the expense of the well-known American, was Pacquiao's single most stunning win.

The Champion's Trophies
The title belts owned by Manny Pacquiao at the time of his match with David Diaz are held up before the June 2008 fight began. By the time it was over, Pacquiao would claim Diaz's lightweight title. By May 2009, he would add to his collection the light welterweight belt after knocking out Britain's Ricky Hatton in the second round.

The Victor's Spoils
With each win, Pacquiao has brought his prizes home to share with his proud countrymen in the Philippines. His generosity is legendary and he is believed to spend thousands of dollars a day feeding and entertaining visitors, family and friends who drop by his homes in the islands. In the photo above, Pacquiao plays host in the large house he owns in General Santos City, where he once sold bread and trinkets on the streets.

Home of the Conquering Hero
His General Santos City home is lavish with the baroque filigree common to the up-and-coming classes in the Philippines — as well as a grand piano where Pacquiao plays chords to accompany himself in another favorite Filipino pastime, singing.

Can Adulation Turn into Political Power?
The Philippines adores Pacquiao — and everyone has a strong opinion on whether or not he should try to transform his popularity into political power. Most argue that he should remain a fighter. But even Pacquiao knows that a boxer cannot remain a boxer all his life. There has to be a life beyond the ring.

Sowing the Seeds
Pacquiao was defeated in his first attempt at public office in 2007, falling to the heiress of a political dynasty from his home region. But he seems adamant about pursuing his quest. He does not shrink from being seen donating huge amounts of money to build schools or, as he did during the series of storms that battered Manila in 2009, from taking a motorcade from his mountain resort training camp to distribute relief to typhoon victims.

With Coach Freddie in the Ring
Training for his Nov 2009 fight with the Puerto Rican welterweight Miguel Cotto, Pacquiao spars with the man who revolutionized his raw power, Freddie Roach. Roach, who has Parkinson's disease, believes Pacquiao is the best fighter he has seen in a very long time, surpassing famous boxers he has trained including de la Hoya and Mike Tyson.

he Best Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World
Pacquiao has fought and won at welterweight before, to defeat de la Hoya in 2008. But can he do it again against the heavy-hitting, much more fit Cotto, this time for a title? If he does, it will be a 40-lb swing from the original 106 lbs he started out with when he began his professional career. As Pacquiao prepared for the Cotto fight, coach Roach said: "We have to feed him 5 times a day to keep the weight on him." But even if he wins, what can Manny Pacquiao do next to prove that he is more than just the best boxer in the world?

So many has been said about the life of Manny Pacquiao. So many versions that sometimes drives me nuts. I love Manny Pacquiao. His story is like a fairy tale. He started from rag to riches. His determination and stubbornness made him as what he is now. He has his final rounds of training with Freddie Roach. Will Manny beat Cotto, the more fitted boxer? I am confident Manny can outbeat Cotto. According to Freddie Roach, he is assured that Manny will defeat Cotto. Manny is training so hard. The fight of Pacquiao vs Cotto is considered a classical in the making.

With all predictions and statements coming from each camp, I'll go for Manny Pacquiao. He is my true blood Filipino and that is indisputable.

Pictures courtesy of Time Magazine