Press Release: LAS VEGAS, NEV. (December 31, 2008) – In a battle between Oscar De La Hoya, boxing’s top attraction, and MANNY PACQUIAO, the sport’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, Pacquiao, a 2 -1 underdog, emerged victorious on December 6, stopping De La Hoya at the end of round eight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on a pay-per-view broadcast seen by over 1.25 million viewers.   Since that triumphant year-end finale, accolades from media around the world have been heaping praise on both Pacquiao and his trainer, WORLD-FAMOUS FREDDIE ROACH!

 

While securing his claim as 2008’s Fighter of the Year, Pacquiao (48-3-2, 36 KOs), also capped off a Henry Armstongesque year, winning three fights in three different weight divisions – two of them for world titles.  Armstrong, the Hall of Fame fighter, is the only man to hold three world championships simultaneously, a feat he accomplished 70 years ago, capturing world titles at featherweight, welterweight and lightweight (in that order) during a nine-month span between November 1937 and August 1938. Pacquiao, officially proclaimed a National Treasure by the Philippines, captured the WBC super featherweight title in February by defeating Juan Manuel Marquez and the WBC lightweight title in June by knocking out defending champion David Diaz.  He completed his personal trifecta by stopping De La Hoya in a welterweight battle.  It should be noted that Pacquiao’s last two victories were his debut in each weight division with the latter two full divisions above his previous fight.

 

And let’s not forget Roach, a shoo-in for Trainer of the Year, and the architect of Pacquiao’s victories, who confidently predicted that Pacquiao would knock out De La Hoya in the ninth round. Roach was the man who not only convinced Pacquiao to take the fight, but that he would win the fight.  Roach virtually guaranteed a Pacquiao victory with the boldest prediction this side of Joe Namath on the even of Super Bowl III.

 

Below, please find selected Year-End Award columns bestowing the best upon Pacquiao and Roach:  
  Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports:  "Meet The Fighter of the Year"http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=As405Dy_m13AV8DVbPpDgKyUxLYF?slug=ki-topfighters122608&prov=yhoo&type=lgns Dan Rafael, ESPN.com:  Pacquiao is ESPN.com's Fighter of the Year"http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/columns/story?columnist=rafael_dan&id=3791750 Chris Mannix, Sports Illustrated:  "Pacquiao is Sports Illustrated's Fighter of the Year"http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/chris_mannix/12/18/2008-boxing-awards/index.html Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports:  "Roach Earns Nod for Trainer of the Year"http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news;_ylt=AubMVuCPZR2xCFWEgPtbgyydCIh4?slug=ki-trainerofyear122408&prov=yhoo&type=lgns Dan Rafael, ESPN.com:  "And the Award Goes To..."http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3800944&name=rafael_dan John Whisler, Express-News:  "Pacquiao Takes Top Fighter for 2008"http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/36791999.html George Willis, New York Post: Pacquiao is Fighter of the Year and Roach is the Trainer of the Year"http://blogs.nypost.com/sports/willis/archives/2008/12/2008_boxing_off.html David Avila, Press-Enterprise:  "Pac Man Fighter of the Year"http://www.pe.com/sports/boxing/stories/PE_Sports_Local_S_box_column_30.447e4dd.html Santos Perez, Miami Herald:  "Pacquiao Headlines Up-And-Down 2008"http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/other/story/829217.html Joe Maxse, The Plain Dealer:  "Pacquiao Ahead of This Year's Pack"http://blog.cleveland.com/sports/2008/12/boxing_insider_some_bouts_dont_1.html Bernard Fernandez, TheSweetScience.com:  "Annual Year-End Awards"http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/6466/bernies-1st-annual-year-end-awards/ David Avila, TheSweetScience.com:  "Avila's List of Boxing's Best in 2008"http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/6464/avila-list-boxing-best-2008/ Bob Hannah, The Standard Times:  "Pacquiao's Story Dominated Boxing in 2008"http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081226/SPORTS/812260353/-1/NEWS  Clive Bernath, SecondsOut.com:  "Trainer of the Year Freddie Roach"http://www.secondsout.com/USA/news.cfm?ccs=229&cs=50678 Michael Woods, TheSweetScience.com:  "TSS Fighter of the Year: Manny Pacquiao"http://www.thesweetscience.com/boxing-article/6465/tss-boxer-year-manny-pacquiao/ Derek Bilton, Sporting Life:  "2008: Year of the Pac"http://www.sportinglife.com/fanzine/story_get.dor?STORY_NAME=boxing/08/12/26/manual_122509.html Anthony Coleman, EastSideBoxing.com:  "Year-End Review and 2008 Awards"http://www.eastsideboxing.com/news.php?p=18311&more=1 Ryan Kaye, 411Mania.com:  "2008 End of Year Boxing Awards"http://www.411mania.com/sports/boxing/93525/2008-End-of-Year-Boxing-Awards:-The-Scrappys!-(Round-Two).htm
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