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20 years after former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson appeared on the cover of TIME Magazine, Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao has attained the same feat. A month after several typhoons devastated the Philippines, "Pacman" is featured on the cover of TIME Magazine (Asia edition). All regions of the publication will feature a story on the pound-for-pound boxing icon this weekend.
Titled "The Great Hope" the General Santos City's appearance on the cover is historic for any sports athlete. The late President Corazon Aquino was also on the cover when she was named TIME Magazine's "Woman of the Year" in 1986. She helped to topple the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos. Only nine boxers have ever been featured on the cover of TIME. Reserved for Popes, presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and societal feats, the publication decided to shine the spotlight on the Philippine hero.
The tale? Clawing out of the abyss of homelessness, dropping out of elementary school to support his family, and participating in local fights for a purse of $2 - if he won. On some days, he slept on cardboard boxes and ate one meal a day consisting only of rice.
Pacquiao worked menial odd jobs. After running away to Manila as a young teenager, Pacquiao would begin to hone his pugilistic skills. His ferocious drive bludgeoned with distinct clarity the faces of his ring opponents. They represented nothing more than the extreme adversities which he long sought to overcome. On the flight back home after his demolition of Oscar de la Hoya (Manny was a 2-1 underdog going into the fight), he declared "Nothing is impossible, so long as you keep God in your heart and in your mind." That message is a rallying cry for a struggling people. Today, he makes his mark as an all-time great. He remains a gentleman outside of the ring. Out of the many legendary fighters to have fought in the last 25 years, Mike Tyson was the last boxer featured (in 1988). The likes of Oscar de la Hoya, Roy Jones, Jr., Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Evander Holyfield were not. Prior to Tyson, Muhammad Ali was last on the cover in 1978.
The Filipino icon recently shared his thoughts on his success:
What is happening to me now is the most humbling experience of my life. It is a great honor for me to be the face of my people and to let everyone know we are a small but mighty country. I have great pride for all of the Filipinos living throughout the world and it is these people that I fight for each and every time I step into the ring.
The 30-year old's significance to Philippine society may never be overstated - or entirely understood by the West. The West cuts down and cannibalizes its own role models. In the East, heroes are praised and elevated - especially upon the retention of original values and virtues. Michael Jordan, widely considered the greatest basketball player, appeared on TIME's cover once (in 1998). (Other Athletes on TIME Magazine Cover) Pacquiao's humility, generosity, and faith are qualities that resonate with his people. For the West, who also struggles under a deep economic recession, he provides an opportunity to reflect upon its mores of brashness, ego, and obsession on self-interest. In a recent interview on Philippine GMA News at a church in Los Angeles, Pacquiao said he not only prays for himself but for all of his opponents in the ring. That includes a prayer for his next opponent on November 14th. Proverbs 22:4 may aptly describe the examplar: "By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life."
Should the Filipino emerge triumphant in his bout with Puerto Rico's welterweight champion Miguel Cotto, he will have become the only fighter in the long history of the sport to secure seven world titles in seven different weight classes. Many expect it to be a tough fight against another larger opponent. (9 Legendary Boxers on TIME Cover) In seeking boxing immortality, Manny Pacquiao discloses the attributes of a man that on a daily basis choose large, historic challenges. He intends to permanently retire from boxing in 2010 and run for congress in the Philippines in May next year. The struggle lives on. Inspiration marches alongside.
YouTube Fan-Made Video on Manny Pacquiao
Comments
This is truly great News. Manny has taken off like a hot potato. Congrats to Manny. We wish him well.
theres definately need for TIME to gain market share in asia is the correct answer
FLOYD GAYWEATHER Not on Time magazine? Yo Floyd...I guess YOU AIN'T THAT GREAT to be on Time Mags Like the all time greats Huh!
Youre getting behind the power curve Homeboy! The only way you can get your stature back is to fight The PACMAN!
But until then enjoy the nice view of MANNY PACQUIAO on the Horizon!
Truly Manny has conquered the realms of greatness. Congrats Pacman, we are very proud of you.
Yeah, he's gonna get his mudafukin head popped off like a hot patato too come Nov.14th Hahahaha. & u wanna know what's said, a loser here brought up Mayweather, saying oh Floyds never been on time magazine. Lol its funny how all you Filipinos can't help but bring up that mans name. I think its because ya know that he's still the real p4p king. & this is coming from a person who is not much of a Mayweather fan but It is what is. Manny & his supporters are behind the shadow of the Pretty Boy!!!
He is "the Great Hope" and inspiration to all Filipinos in of the world and other ethnics that clearly see it as well.
The only non-heavyweight on the list
Jeff The Freakcan, i know you love pacman so much that you read and comment on every news article with pacman's name on it.. 'cmmon boi!! don't be so ashamed to say you Love pacman...hehehe..
no comment... just wanted to say HI!
You make us Filipinos all pround. Thank you PACMAN!!!
I can't vote, there's should be "all of the above".
Jeff The Freakcan, i know you love pacman so much that you read and comment on every news article with pacman's name on it.. 'cmmon boi!! don't be so ashamed to say you Love pacman...hehehe..
I love Black dick more!!
there should be "all of the above".
Mayweather Jr says American people adore him.
Cotto says Puerto Ricans supports him.
Well we Filipino can't describe Pacman in one word! He means everything to us!
Like this great article says:
Clawing out of the abyss of homelessness, dropping out of elementary school to support his family, and participating in local fights for a purse of $2 - if he won. On some days, he slept on cardboard boxes and ate one meal a day consisting only of rice.
All FILIPINO BORN IN PINAS CAN RELATE TO THIS! not just a few! ALL OF US!
Good luck to your upcoming fight with Miguel Cotto.
GO..GO..GO..PACMAN!!!
Merv the nerd master deleter......you and you're pacquiao....im putting it on @ my house and im gonna invite the whole neibourhood over so they don't have to buy it and hopefuly pacquiao should he win (but prolly not) will have to acept a smaller purse share vs floyd ha ha ha ha ha
Pacman on Time means he is the real pound for pound king and Floyd pales in comparisson.
Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao...........
..........the face of the nation.
i dont know why Pacquiao is the 'hope of the filipinos?'
i'm a filipino but my hope is in Jesus Christ.
it's neat that pacquiao is so successful in what he does, i'm happy for him, but at the end of the day, God is the one who takes care of me and my family, porke filipino, american, mexicanos, puerto ricans, etc.
don't get me wrong, it's great that manny is so blessed,
but he ain't no god. let's not idolize him too much.
all praise and all glory still goes to God.
what if he loses to cotto? what now?
just enjoy his talent in boxing and more over it's his wife jinkee who carries around a $20,000 hermes purse, not you or me. oh my gulay!
keep it real my fellow pinoys!
pride comes before destruction.
#1floydfan - Pacman on Time magazine? how about your floyd? he is not even featured in a comic book. Maybe you can print his face on a toilet paper roll and i'm sure this will be a hit in the market. LOL
I love your article bro, keep it up..God Bless..I was carried way to the youtube vidz...
behind the shadow of a coward,oh yeah.thats what youthink jeff.well,i think its the other way around.if time comes that maywether fights pacquiao.it should be billed as,the destroyer vs. the running monkey.what do you think jeff.
Hey guys! Please don't mention the name of Fraud Duckweather in this article. We're talking here about legendary boxers on TIME magazine. Fraud ain't a legend even in a million years. That's an insult to these legendary athletes.
To: Juanmarleymarquez,
Listen! this article is how manny achieved in boxing..not what you've thinking of..*&@ you include gods name
#1 floyd fan,if you think you can persuade your neighbours not to buy Time magazine,FINE.it just goes to say that you are all a bunch of morons.
he's only one of the best example of boxing history, TIMES Magazine is right to feature Manny Pacquiao in the front cover...
CONGRATS MANNY....
floyd should be listed in time magazines,all time greats no.1 running man.
Goodluck to the PACMAN.......HISTORY IN THE MAKING......the greatest boxER of all time.........
The only hope for Fraud Jr. to be printed on paper is to convince toilet paper companies to include his face on every roll. That way he can serve peoples' asses.
Don't tell gayweather about this, he'll go crazy again...
time's article is good but not perfect. roach was already pac's trainer when he fought ledwaba. still, many thanks to pac for bringing honor to his country and filipinos and all people from humble beginnings.
after reading this article my tears flow,i could not hold. It was tears of joy and I am proud to be a Filipino. Go Manny , God is with you!!!
TIME magazine chose the right person who is physically and spiritually blessed.MANNY fights for GOD ,HONOR AND counyry. MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS
its the praises and recognition of God with works Pacman succeed. Pacman always dependent with God's graces and mercy.It is here he is adored with the most of filipinos. God is our God and Pacman is His instrument to know God more. In old testament, people of Israel go triumphant with their battle because they recognize God and they depend their strength on Him.So for Pacman he wins because God is with Him. Pacman is idolize because not that he saves people from condemnation but because he is the model who remember God in everything he does. This is just to show that we people must recognize and depend all of our strength to God if we aim to achieve the abundance of life...
Hey! Don't call Cotto the underdog here. He is now the OVERDOG with just a week remaining, he still weighs 159 pounds. I hope the OVERDOG's trainer and conditioning coach won't give us a dried overdog to spoil a supposedly great fight. We'll sue the trainer if cotto comes drained.
pacman on times means to me that he is the
greatest champion of all times.nothing compares.
even the legendary champions around the world.
Weather Weather lang Yan,hindi si floyd ha! nsa sports philippine history na si manny Boy,minsan lang ma post ka sa TIME magazine, ASTIG!
Allah Akhbar will come and judge the earth on December 21, 2012 where most people will die but Allah will save my people and Manny Pacquiao to go to our heaven PLanet-x. From there Manny will continue his boxing legacy as champion and I will become his new promoter and the Abu Sayyaff guys are going to be called: "The new team Pacquiao"!..veva Allah Akhbar!!!!
Pacman, I'm waiting on you in December 21, 2012. We'll go to planetX together, I wanted to be your promoter in there and the ABU SAYYAFF GUYS are your team PAcquiao! hahahahah... Allah Akhbar!!
samtayms win wi tats
di anisti tomats
Osama Bin Ladin you go to hhhheeeellll you killed thousands of innocent people on 9/11 and for that you the worst criminal in the World. Allah will personally punish you for killing people in his name. You are worse then the DEVIL. YOU ARE A MONSTER AND YOUR FOLLOWERS ARE ALL DEMONS!!! WHEN YOU SLEEP AT NIGHT THE PEOPLE YOU KILLED WILL HAUNT YOU FOREVER!!!
PACMAN, WE'RE VERY PROUD OF YOU!!!
DAMN YOU, PACHATER GANGSTERS!!!
After the Great Cotto hardly punched in the head by a straight left of the little Pacman, I can see him counter punching and unleashes his QUICKEST punch in the air....
Then, after several straight shots again in the head, Great Cotto is overwhelmed... and punches again in the air.
But, because he is the Great Cotto, the “tough” guy, the big guy, he'll never felt that his face is already deformed until his team asks him to stop the fight. He doesn’t stop. You all know. You just couldn’t accept the truth. Pacquio KO the Great Cotto.
But this PR fighter is also a humble man; he will never say any excuses. Guess who would say that?
Some boxing “experts” still says that the little Pacman aren’t tested with the BEST guy out there.
They will call out the heavyweight brothers. You know what I mean guys.
Peace ya’all.
Pacman doesn't know what's coming when he face Cotto in the ring, it's a war he better bring everything he's got .Cotto will Knock him out.
trojan is quite a funny man,why not include pasador heheheheh
I can still remember when I was in Trinidad & Tobago W.I., in a bar waiting for the Paquiao/Dela Hoya fight. Many Latinos/Latinas were also there to watch, and so are locals (Blacks, etc.), and of course plenty of Filipinos/Filipinas. Betting is heavy for Dela Hoya.
One of our filipina nurse friend ask me of who I think will win.
I answered her "Paquiao is destined for immortality in Boxing, perhaps surpassing Ali". She was amazed upon hearing me......... I won $200.
I also said those words to my friends whenever the topic reaches Paquiao, that was after Pacquiao defeated D.Diaz, way before the Dela Hoya match was inked. I'm also sure that Pacquiao will defeat Hatton...Unfortunately nobody takes my $3,000 bet.
On Nov.14, a Pacquiao win will make my predection come true. If Mayweather will come in the way...he will be just a mere icing in the cake...the cake was already baked (Boxing immortality)
Pacquiao by KO in 3-6 Rd.
You are right Adama Nelson...and of course..Pacquaio is not an American...Pacquaio will always be a product on an inferior race to the eyes of some of them!....
It is said, "He who humbles himself shall be glorified and he who brags about himself, shall be abased...", you wouldn't be able to find a more appropriate example to point to young children about this adage, than in Pacquiao (the humble one) and Mayweather (the braggarts - Jr. and Sr., even).
Live on Manny! Continue to make us proud!
Cotto is just like Hatton in style, only a bit bigger...The bigger you are, the harder you fall.
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