FT Chronicle

HOLLYWOOD — It’s Time for Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquaio, world’s pound-for-pound king, to be the face of Time Magazine Asia edition with a five-page story feature.

It is such an honor to him being not only the first Filipino to be its cover since the late former President Cory Aquino but also the first boxer after Mike Tyson in 20 years.

His photograph on the front page is captioned by the words: “The Great Hope: Why Manny Pacquiao is more than just the world’s best boxer.”

Pacquiao expressed delight at the cover of the influential magazine. “It’s amazing,” Manny Pacquiao said of the recognition that continues to collect at his feet since plowing through top-caliber opposition across different weight classes. “I never expected that to happen.”

The feature story, entitled “The Meaning of Manny,” accounts his vivid life, from the time he spent sleeping on cardboard boxes in street corners in Mindanao, to the his US world title debut with a knockout victory over Lehlo Ledwaba.

Inspirational his story it is, beating not only his bigger enemies but also walls given by poverty, trainer Freddie Roach said that Pacquiao “has nothing more to prove.”

The new world hero of the Filipino people and Asia’s No. 1 boxer is set to face Puerto Rican champion Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas where he will try to do what no one has never had done: to become the first boxer to win titles in seven different weight categories.

Photo and Story via Inquirer.Net