MANNY PACQUIAO is last year's top boxer—and the decade’s finest as well. Taking into account the Filipino superstar’s awesome knockouts of his last two foes en route to a record seventh world title in as many weight divisions, the Boxing Writers Association of America on Sunday (Monday in Manila) chose Pacquiao as its 2009 Fighter of the Year and Fighter of the Decade.
The twin honors further buttressed Pacquiao’s reputation as pound-for-pound king and mirrored his earlier selection by ESPN.com and Ring magazine as 2009 Fighter of the Year.
Pacquiao, who will receive his fourth Sugar Ray Robinson trophy at the BWAA’s 85th annual banquet on June 11 in New York, topped the balloting among boxing chroniclers.
The vote noted the impact of his second-round demolition of Briton Ricky Hatton on May 2 and his 12-round annihilation of Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 for the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown.
Also nominated for Fighter of the Year were WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko of Ukraine, WBA super middleweight titlist Andre Ward of the United States, former two-time welterweight champion Paul Williams, also of the US, and Armenian-German super middleweight Arthur Abraham.
Pacquiao, who will stake his 147-pound title against Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on March 13 in Arlington, Texas, was also voted Fighter of the Decade (2000-09). The Filipino ring icon won six crowns in that span while taking over from Oscar De La Hoya as the face of boxing.
Other than De La Hoya, other sure future Hall of Famers who fell prey to Pacquiao’s punches were Mexicans Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez.
Bested by Pacquiao for the decade’s fighter honors were Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, who retired last year, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Shane Mosley, Marquez and Barrera.
For turning Pacquiao from a one-dimensional boxer into a wrecking machine, Freddie Roach will be honored as Trainer of the Year.
Like Pacquiao, Roach is no stranger to the award having won it in 2003, 2006 and 2008.
WBA-WBO lightweight titlist Marquez, beaten by Mayweather last year, and former 135 lb titlist Juan Diaz will share the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier award for Fight of the Year.
source: abscbn
MANILA, Philippines - They’re selling like hotcakes and Manny Pacquiao hasn’t placed his orders yet.
Tickets to the March 13 fight between the Filipino pound-for-pound champion and challenger Josh Clottey are out, and with still 50 days left before the big day, promoters might be forced to have a few thousands more printed.
According to ESPN.com, more than 20,000 tickets were sold in the first three hours of sales Saturday. Because of the size of the venue, tickets prices were slashed more than half of what they used to be for Pacquiao fights.
The Dallas Cowboys Stadium, a $1.3 billion wonder, can seat more than 100,000 fans for a football game. But for this fight, the men behind the fight have decided to block off the outer sections and limit the capacity to around 40,000.
Still, that’s more than twice as big as when Pacquiao fights in Las Vegas, whether it’s the MGM Grand or the Mandalay Bay, where ringside tickets are given a face value of $1,500. In Dallas, the choice seats will go for just $700.
The cheapest tickets for this WBO welterweight clash will go for $50, just the equivalent of dinner and good bottle of wine in a nice restaurant. In previous Pacquiao fights, fifty bucks can’t even get you past the entrance of the fight venue.
“Ross Greenburg (president of HBO Sports) and I are very gratified that the public has responded like they have, and we are happy for our partner (Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones,” Top Rank chief Bob Arum told Dan Rafael in New York Saturday.
Arum was at the Madison Square Garden for his own boxing card. He added that if the demand continues, then the stadium’s capacity can be increased. Pacquiao fights over the last two to three years were always sold out.
“It’s going to be quite a night. And Jerry isn’t just a one-event guy. If he sees this as a success you can be sure he’ll do more boxing in that great stadium,” added Arum.
By the time Pacquiao places his orders, promoters might just consider that because the 31-year-old punching machine, winner of his last 11 fights, is also known for his legendary generosity when it comes to giving away tickets.
For the Miguel Cotto fight last November, insiders said he spent more than $300,000 buying more than 800 tickets for family and friends. That’s more than two percent of his guaranteed purse. But he loves what he’s doing.
“It’s my way of thanking these people who continue to support me,” he’d often say.
