Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao Makes History by Defeating Mexican Champ, Juan Manuel Marquez

Manny Pacquiao made history Sunday, March 16 when he became became the first and only Asian to win three world titles, the WBC light flyweight title in December 1998, the IBF super bantamweight crown in June 2001, and the WBC super featherweight title last Sunday.

Pacquiao started his rise to fame and fortune by winning the WBC light flyweight title with an eighth-round knockout of Thai hero Chatchai Sasakul in December 1998. He then grabbed the IBF super bantamweight crown with a sixth-round demolition of Lelohonolo Ledwaba in June 2001.

He was the fourth Filipino to win the 130-pound title, duplicating the feat of the late Hall-of-Famer Gabriel “Flash Elorde, who won the title on the same date—March 16—48 years ago, at the Araneta Coliseum in 1960, with a seventh round annihilation of American Harold Gomes.

The two other Filipinos who have won the title are Rene Barrientos and Rolando Navaratte. Elorde was a southpaw, and so are the other three.

The rematch with Marquez which was in the making for four years did not show much explosiveness except for a third round knockout of Marquez brought about by a thundering blow from Pacquiao. In the end, this knockdown appeared to have made all the difference. Judge Jerry Roth scored the fight 115-112 for Marquez, but he eventually was outnumbered by Duane Ford, who had Pacquiao the winner 115-112, and Tom Miller, who scored it 114-113 for the Filipino.

The Filipino boxer is expected to take home about $5 million in prize money plus another $3 million from gate receipts and pay-per-view earnings.