Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Manny Pacquiao

How Manny Pacquiao built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Manny Pacquiao, a Filipino politician, businessman, and former professional boxer nicknamed "PacMan," is considered one of boxing's all-time greats. His boxing career is legendary, and he transitioned into Philippine politics, serving as a senator from 2016 to 2022. He represents a unique blend of athletic achievement and political engagement in the Philippines.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

January 1995: Professional Boxing Debut

In January 1995, at the age of 16, Manny Pacquiao made his professional boxing debut as a junior flyweight.

December 4, 1998: Won First Major Title

On December 4, 1998, at the age of 19, Manny Pacquiao won his first major title, the World Boxing Council (WBC) flyweight title.

August 2002: Exhibition Match Against Jesus Salud

In August 2002, Manny Pacquiao participated in an exhibition match against former world champion Jesus Salud, which he won.

2003: Began Reign on The Ring's Pound for Pound List

From 2003, Manny Pacquiao began his reign as a top-ten active boxer on The Ring's pound for pound list, which lasted until 2016.

December 2005: Lead Role in "Lisensyadong Kamao"

In December 2005, Manny Pacquiao played his first lead role in the film "Lisensyadong Kamao" (Licensed Fist), produced by Violett Films.

2005: Consecutive Boxing World Title Fight Victories

Between 2005 and 2011, Manny Pacquiao had the most consecutive boxing world title fight victories at different weights, with 15, earning him a Guinness World Record.

April 27, 2006: Enlisted as Military Reservist

On April 27, 2006, Manny Pacquiao enlisted as a military reservist in the Philippine Army with the rank of sergeant.

June 21, 2006: Release of "Pacquiao: The Movie"

On June 21, 2006, "Pacquiao: The Movie," a film based on Manny Pacquiao's life starring Jericho Rosales, was released but flopped at the box office.

Loading Video...

2006: Start of Music Albums

In 2006, Manny Pacquiao began releasing music albums.

2006: Ring Magazine, ESPN, and BWAA's Fighter of the Year

In 2006, Manny Pacquiao was awarded Ring magazine, ESPN and BWAA's Fighter of the Year.

February 12, 2007: Announcement of Congressional Candidacy

On February 12, 2007, Manny Pacquiao announced his campaign for a seat in the Philippine House of Representatives for the 1st District of South Cotabato, running under the Liberal Party, later switching to KAMPI. He aimed to bridge the gap between local interests and the national government but was ultimately defeated by Darlene Antonino-Custodio.

September 2007: Signing with GMA Network

In September 2007, upon the expiration of his contract with ABS-CBN, Manny Pacquiao signed with GMA Network as an actor and host, leading to projects like "Pinoy Records", "Totoy Bato", and "Show Me Da Manny".

October 7, 2007: Promotion to Master Sergeant

On October 7, 2007, Manny Pacquiao was promoted to Master Sergeant in the Reserve Force of the Philippine Army.

2008: Tax Earning Period in US

In 2008, Manny Pacquiao earned income in the United States from his fights, which later became subject of tax disputes with the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue.

2008: Philippine Delegation's Flag Bearer at Summer Olympics

In 2008, Manny Pacquiao participated in the parade of nations of the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony as the Philippine delegation's flag bearer, the first-ever non-participant to serve as the country's flagbearer.

2008: Starring in "Anak ng Kumander"

In 2008, Manny Pacquiao starred alongside Ara Mina and Valerie Concepcion in the movie "Anak ng Kumander" (Child of a Commander), which was not commercially successful and received negative reviews.

2008: Ring Magazine, ESPN, and BWAA's Fighter of the Year

In 2008, Manny Pacquiao was awarded Ring magazine, ESPN and BWAA's Fighter of the Year.

May 4, 2009: Designated Command Sergeant Major

On May 4, 2009, Manny Pacquiao was given the special rank of Senior Master Sergeant and designated as the Command Sergeant Major of the 15th Ready Reserve Division.

November 3, 2009: Singing Performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

On November 3, 2009, Manny Pacquiao covered "Sometimes When We Touch" by Dan Hill on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, marking his first singing performance on American TV.

November 21, 2009: Announcement of Second Congressional Run

On November 21, 2009, Manny Pacquiao announced his second attempt to win a seat in Congress, this time for Sarangani province, his wife's hometown.

December 25, 2009: Release of "Wapakman"

On December 25, 2009, the superhero/comedy film "Wapakman," starring Manny Pacquiao, was released as an entry to the 2009 Metro Manila Film Festival. Like his previous films, it was not commercially successful.

2009: Tax Earning Period in US

In 2009, Manny Pacquiao earned income in the United States from his fights, which later became subject of tax disputes with the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue.

2009: Ring Magazine, ESPN, BWAA's Fighter of the Year & Best Fighter ESPY Award

In 2009, Manny Pacquiao was awarded Ring magazine, ESPN and BWAA's Fighter of the Year, and also won the Best Fighter ESPY Award.

March 3, 2010: Second Singing Performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

On March 3, 2010, Manny Pacquiao returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live! to cover "Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You."

May 2010: Election to the House of Representatives

In May 2010, Manny Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing Sarangani province, securing a significant victory over the Chiongbian clan.

June 25, 2010: Completion of Development Legislation Course

On June 25, 2010, Manny Pacquiao completed a 10-day crash course on Development Legislation and Governance at the Development Academy of the Philippines.

November 13, 2010: Won WBC Super Welterweight Title

On November 13, 2010, Manny Pacquiao won his eighth boxing world title in different weight divisions, defeating Antonio Margarito to win the WBC Super Welterweight title, earning him a Guinness World Record.

2010: Congressman for Sarangani

In 2010, Manny Pacquiao became the congressman representing the lone district of Sarangani, Philippines and officially resided in Kiamba, Sarangani.

2010: Speech on Human Trafficking and Criticism on Reproductive Health Bill

In 2010, Manny Pacquiao delivered a speech on human trafficking that received praise. However, in 2010, he faced criticism for being perceived as uninformed during a discussion about the reproductive health bill.

2010: Elected as Representative of Sarangani

In 2010, Manny Pacquiao entered politics and was elected as the representative of Sarangani.

April 2011: Release of "Sometimes When We Touch" as a Single

In April 2011, Manny Pacquiao recorded Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch" as a single, which reached number 19 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

Loading Video...

2011: Consecutive Boxing World Title Fight Victories

Between 2005 and 2011, Manny Pacquiao had the most consecutive boxing world title fight victories at different weights, with 15, earning him a Guinness World Record.

2011: Best Fighter ESPY Award

In 2011, Manny Pacquiao won the Best Fighter ESPY Award.

2012: End of Reign as Best Active Boxer

In 2012, Manny Pacquiao's reign as the best active boxer in the world, pound for pound, ended after losses.

2013: Re-election to the 16th Congress

In 2013, Manny Pacquiao was re-elected unopposed to the 16th Congress of the Philippines. His wife, Jinkee, was also elected as vice-governor of Sarangani.

April 17, 2014: Joined Philippine Basketball Association

On April 17, 2014, Manny Pacquiao announced his intention to join the Philippine Basketball Association as the playing coach of Kia Motors Basketball team.

September 4, 2014: Trained with the Golden State Warriors

On September 4, 2014, Manny Pacquiao trained with the Golden State Warriors at their training facility in preparation for his PBA stint.

2014: Head Coach and Player for Kia/Mahindra

From 2014 to 2017, Manny Pacquiao was the head coach and a player for the Philippine Basketball Association team Kia/Mahindra.

February 18, 2015: Played Against Purefoods

On February 18, 2015, Manny Pacquiao played briefly and scored one point when the Sorento pulled a 95–84 upset against Purefoods. Daniel Orton made disparaging comments about Pacquiao and was fined and replaced.

April 15, 2015: Release of "Kid Kulafu"

On April 15, 2015, "Kid Kulafu," a film dramatizing Manny Pacquiao's early life in boxing starring Robert "Buboy" Villar, was released.

Loading Video...

May 2, 2015: Highest Selling Pay-Per-View Boxing Match

On May 2, 2015, Manny Pacquiao recorded the highest selling pay-per-view boxing match in a Welterweight title fight and the highest revenue earned from ticket sales for a boxing match, both at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, earning him Guinness World Records.

October 5, 2015: Declaration of Senatorial Candidacy

On October 5, 2015, Manny Pacquiao formally announced his candidacy for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) party.

October 25, 2015: First Field Goal in PBA

On October 25, 2015, Manny Pacquiao made his first field goal in the PBA in a 108–94 loss against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

2015: Generated $1.2 Billion in Revenue

As of 2015, Manny Pacquiao's fights had generated $1.2 billion in revenue from his 25 pay-per-view bouts.

2015: Signed with Top Rank

From 2015 to 2017, Manny Pacquiao signed with Bob Arum's Top Rank.

2015: End of Music Albums

In 2015, Manny Pacquiao continued to release music albums.

2015: Release of Extended Play and Retirement from Music

In 2015, Manny Pacquiao released an extended play featuring his recorded entrance song for his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. and subsequently announced his retirement from music.

May 19, 2016: Election as Senator

On May 19, 2016, Manny Pacquiao was officially elected as a senator in the Philippines, garnering over 16 million votes.

August 21, 2016: Career-High Four Points in PBA

On August 21, 2016, Manny Pacquiao scored a career-high four points in a 97–88 victory against the Blackwater Elite, also sinking the first three-point field goal in his career.

September 18, 2016: Facilitation of Ouster of Leila de Lima

On September 18, 2016, Manny Pacquiao facilitated the removal of Leila de Lima from her position as chairperson of the Senate Justice committee.

2016: Executive Coaching Program

From June 8 to 17, 2016, Pacquiao underwent a 9-day Executive Coaching Program after winning a senate seat, conducted by various institutions, including the Development Academy of the Philippines.

2016: Decided Not to Compete in Summer Olympics

In 2016, Manny Pacquiao decided not to compete in the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, even though professional boxers were allowed to compete for the first time.

2016: Ranked No. 2 on ESPN's list

In 2016, Manny Pacquiao ranked No. 2 on ESPN's list of top pound for pound boxers of the past 25 years.

2016: Elected as Senator of the Philippines

In 2016, Manny Pacquiao was elected as a senator of the Philippines.

2016: End of Reign on The Ring's Pound for Pound List

In 2016, Manny Pacquiao's reign as a top-ten active boxer on The Ring's pound for pound list came to an end.

2016: End of term as Congressman, election to the Senate

In 2016, Manny Pacquiao's term as congressman ended, and he was elected to the Senate of the Philippines, after which he returned his official residence to General Santos.

2017: Defense of Paolo Duterte in Senate Hearing

In 2017, Manny Pacquiao defended then-Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte from allegations related to a seized shipment of illegal drugs during a Senate hearing.

2017: Founded the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

In 2017, Manny Pacquiao founded the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), initially a semi-professional league.

2017: End of Top Rank contract

In 2017, Manny Pacquiao's contract with Bob Arum's Top Rank ended.

2018: Filing of Senate Bills and Backing Capital Punishment

In 2018, Manny Pacquiao filed a total of 31 Senate bills and backed the return of capital punishment in a bill filed alongside other senators.

2018: Retired from the PBA

In 2018, Manny Pacquiao officially announced his retirement from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) after playing just ten games in three seasons.

2018: Signed with Premier Boxing Champions

In 2018, Manny Pacquiao signed with Al Haymon's Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) promotion.

June 2019: Worst Attendance Record in Senate

In June 2019, Manny Pacquiao was shown to have the worst attendance record among senators in the 17th Congress, although he still managed to enact four laws.

July 2019: Oldest Welterweight World Champion

In July 2019, at the age of 40, Manny Pacquiao became the oldest welterweight world champion in history and the first four-time welterweight champion after defeating Keith Thurman to win the WBA (Super) welterweight title.

July 20, 2019: Oldest Welterweight Boxing World Champion

On July 20, 2019, Manny Pacquiao became the oldest welterweight boxing world champion when he claimed the WBA Welterweight title at 40 years and 215 days old, earning him a Guinness World Record.

December 11, 2019: Graduation from University of Makati

On December 11, 2019, Manny Pacquiao controversially graduated from the University of Makati with a bachelor's degree in political science through the ETEEAP program.

2019: Planning to Own an NBA Team

In 2019, Manny Pacquiao announced that he is "planning to own an NBA team" after his boxing retirement.

June 2020: Bob Arum's Declaration of Pacquiao's Presidential Run

As early as June 2020, Manny Pacquiao's former promoter, Bob Arum, stated that Pacquiao told him of his intention to run for president in 2022.

December 2020: Acting Party President of PDP-Laban

In December 2020, Manny Pacquiao became acting party president of PDP–Laban after Koko Pimentel resigned, leading to a dispute over the position later on.

2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Assistance

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Manny Pacquiao collaborated with Jack Ma and the Alibaba Group to bring 50,000 COVID-19 test kits to the Philippines.

2020: Became Leader of PDP–Laban Party

In 2020, Manny Pacquiao became the leader of the then-ruling PDP–Laban party.

2020: Signed with Paradigm Sports Management

In 2020, Manny Pacquiao signed with Paradigm Sports Management.

2020: Casting as General Miguel Malvar

In 2020, Manny Pacquiao was cast to portray General Miguel Malvar in the upcoming biopic film "Malvar: Tuloy ang Laban," which garnered mixed reactions from the Malvar family.

May 2021: Filing of Philippine Boxing and Combat Sports Commission Bill

In May 2021, Senator Pacquiao filed a bill proposing to create the Philippine Boxing and Combat Sports Commission, which faced criticism from Senator Pia Cayetano due to the timing during the coronavirus pandemic.

June 2021: Criticism of Duterte's South China Sea Response

In June 2021, Manny Pacquiao expressed his belief that President Duterte's response to China's claims in the South China Sea was inadequate, leading to a rebuke from Duterte, who challenged Pacquiao's claims of corruption within the administration.

August 2021: Fought Yordenis Ugás

In August 2021, Manny Pacquiao's most recent bout was against Yordenis Ugás.

September 19, 2021: Declared Candidacy for President of the Philippines

On September 19, 2021, Manny Pacquiao officially declared his candidacy for President of the Philippines in the 2022 election.

September 29, 2021: Announced Retirement from Boxing

On September 29, 2021, Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement from boxing via a post on social media.

March 2022: Challenge to Bongbong Marcos and Election Results

In March 2022, Manny Pacquiao challenged Bongbong Marcos to a debate regarding unsettled estate tax dues. He later placed third in the election and conceded to Marcos.

March 2022: Low Ratings in Presidential Surveys

In March 2022, during the campaign period, Manny Pacquiao struggled in presidential surveys, receiving low ratings and ranking fourth to fifth among the candidates.

May 2022: Call for Release of Senator Leila De Lima

In May 2022, Manny Pacquiao urged for the "speedy release" of Senator Leila De Lima after witnesses retracted their testimony against her, despite previously supporting allegations against her.

2022: Ranked Ninth in The Ring's List

As of 2022, Manny Pacquiao was ranked ninth in The Ring's list of the top 100 boxers of all time.

2022: Lost Presidential Election

In 2022, Manny Pacquiao lost the presidential election in the Philippines to Bongbong Marcos.

2022: End of Senate Term

In 2022, Manny Pacquiao's term as a senator of the Philippines concluded.

2022: Threat of Negative Campaign

In 2022, President Duterte threatened to launch a negative campaign against Manny Pacquiao in the upcoming elections after Pacquiao claimed the Duterte administration was more corrupt than its predecessors.

2022: Speculations of Presidential Run

In 2022, speculations arose surrounding Manny Pacquiao potentially running for president due to indications of interest from him.

2022: MPBL Turned Professional

In 2022, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, founded by Manny Pacquiao, turned professional.

July 28, 2024: Debut on Super RIZIN 3

On July 28, 2024, Manny Pacquiao made his debut on Super RIZIN 3 in an exhibition featherweight bout against kickboxer Rukiya Anpo, ending in a draw.

2024: Disallowed to Participate in Summer Olympics

In 2024, Manny Pacquiao signified interest to qualify for the Summer Olympics in France, but he was disallowed to participate due to the IOC upholding the 40-year-old age limit.