History of Manny Pacquiao in Timeline

Emmanuel "PacMan" Pacquiao is a Filipino politician and retired professional boxer, considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. He served as a senator of the Philippines from 2016 to 2022. His boxing career was marked by impressive achievements, earning him global recognition.

December 17, 1978: Birth of Manny Pacquiao

Manny Pacquiao was born on December 17, 1978.

1990: Inspiration from Mike Tyson

Manny Pacquiao was inspired to box after watching Mike Tyson defeat James "Buster" Douglas in 1990 with his uncle.

January 1995: Professional Boxing Debut

At age 16, Manny Pacquiao made his professional boxing debut as a junior flyweight in January 1995.

December 4, 1998: First Major Title

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

May 10, 1999: Marriage to Jinkee Jamora

Manny Pacquiao married Jinkee Jamora on May 10, 1999. They have five children: Emmanuel Jr. (Jimuel), Michael Stephen, Mary Divine Grace (Princess), Queen Elizabeth (Queenie), and Israel.

August 2002: Exhibition Match Victory

Manny Pacquiao won an exhibition match against former world champion Jesus Salud in August 2002.

2003: Start of Reign on Pound-for-Pound List

Manny Pacquiao's presence on The Ring's pound-for-pound list as a top-ten active boxer began in 2003.

2005: Start of Consecutive Boxing World Title Fight Victory Streak

Manny Pacquiao's streak of 15 consecutive boxing world title fight victories at different weights began in 2005.

2005: Miguel Molina's Recognition

Swimmer Miguel Molina was recognized as the Best Male Athlete of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

April 27, 2006: Military Enlistment

On April 27, 2006, Manny Pacquiao began his journey in the Philippine Army's reserve force, starting as a sergeant.

2006: Fighter of the Year Recognition

Manny Pacquiao received the Fighter of the Year award from Ring magazine, ESPN, and BWAA in 2006.

February 12, 2007: Pacquiao Runs for Philippine House of Representatives, Faces Defeat

On February 12, 2007, Pacquiao announced his candidacy for the Philippine House of Representatives, representing South Cotabato. Running under the KAMPI party, he lost to incumbent Darlene Antonino-Custodio.

February 2007: High School Diploma Award

In February 2007, Manny Pacquiao obtained his high school diploma from the Department of Education after passing a high school equivalency exam.

October 7, 2007: Achieving Master Sergeant Rank

Pacquiao reached the highest enlisted rank, Master Sergeant, in the Philippine Army's reserve force on October 7, 2007.

2007: Enrollment at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University

Manny Pacquiao enrolled at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) in 2007, pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration with a major in marketing management.

November 2008: Reader's Digest Asia Cover

In November 2008, ahead of his fight with Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao was featured on the cover of Reader's Digest Asia. The issue included a seven-page story celebrating the Filipino boxing superstar.

2008: Pacquiao Ranked Sixth Highest Paid Athlete by Forbes

In 2008, Forbes ranked Pacquiao as the world's sixth highest paid athlete, earning $40 million alongside LeBron James and Phil Mickelson.

2008: Flag Bearer at the Summer Olympics

Manny Pacquiao served as the flag bearer for the Philippine delegation at the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, despite not competing in the Games.

2008: Fighter of the Year Recognition

Manny Pacquiao was named Fighter of the Year by Ring magazine, ESPN, and BWAA in 2008.

2008: Start of Tax Dispute Period

Manny Pacquiao's tax controversy with the Philippine government originated from his earnings in the United States between 2008 and 2009. This period marked the beginning of the dispute regarding his tax liabilities.

2008: Departure from NDDU

Manny Pacquiao's time at Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) ended in 2008 without obtaining a degree, marking the end of his pursuit of a business administration degree in marketing management.

May 4, 2009: Elevated to Senior Master Sergeant and Command Sergeant Major

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

November 16, 2009: Time Magazine Asia Cover

On November 16, 2009, Time Magazine Asia featured Manny Pacquiao on the cover, highlighting his charisma, intelligence, and inspiring story. The magazine praised his impact on boxing and his global appeal, drawing comparisons to Greek and Roman heroes.

November 21, 2009: Pacquiao Announces Candidacy for Sarangani Congressional Seat

On November 21, 2009, Pacquiao announced his intention to run for a congressional seat in Sarangani, his wife's hometown.

2009: End of Tax Dispute Period

2009 marked the end of the period during which Manny Pacquiao's earnings in the United States became central to his tax dispute with the Philippine government. This controversy continued for years and involved allegations of unpaid taxes.

2009: Pacquiao Earns Recognition and High Rankings

During 2009, Pacquiao secured the eighth spot on Forbes' highest-paid athletes list with $42 million and won the ESPY Award for Best Fighter.

2009: Time 100 Most Influential People and Forbes Celebrity 100

In 2009, Manny Pacquiao's influence in boxing and among Filipinos earned him a spot on Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list. That same year, he joined the ranks of Angelina Jolie, Tiger Woods, and Kobe Bryant on Forbes' Celebrity 100 list.

2009: Fighter of the Year and Best Fighter ESPY Award

Manny Pacquiao was recognized as Fighter of the Year by Ring magazine, ESPN, and BWAA in 2009, also winning the Best Fighter ESPY Award.

May 2010: Pacquiao Wins Congressional Seat in Landslide Victory

In May 2010, Pacquiao won the congressional election in Sarangani by a landslide, defeating the long-standing Chiongbian clan.

June 25, 2010: Development Legislation and Governance 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 (DAP).

November 13, 2010: Most Boxing World Titles in Different Weight Divisions

Manny Pacquiao achieved the Guinness World Record for the most boxing world titles won in different weight divisions (eight) by defeating Antonio Margarito on November 13, 2010, to win the WBC Super Welterweight title.

2010: Residency in Kiamba, Sarangani

From 2010 to 2016, during his term as congressman for Sarangani, Manny Pacquiao officially resided in Kiamba, Sarangani, his wife's hometown.

2010: Pacquiao Praised for Human Trafficking Speech, Criticized for Stance on Reproductive Health Bill

In 2010, Pacquiao received praise for his speech on human trafficking but faced criticism for appearing uninformed during a debate on the reproductive health bill.

2010: Entry into Politics

Manny Pacquiao entered politics in 2010, getting elected as the representative of Sarangani.

2010: Pacquiao Among Top-Earning Athletes

Pacquiao was recognized as one of the top two earning athletes in 2010 by ESPN Magazine, earning $32 million from his two boxing matches that year.

2011: Best Fighter ESPY Award

Manny Pacquiao won the Best Fighter ESPY Award in 2011.

2011: End of Consecutive Boxing World Title Fight Victory Streak

Manny Pacquiao's streak of 15 consecutive boxing world title fight victories, a Guinness World Record, ended in 2011.

2012: Losses and Continued Recognition

Despite experiencing losses in 2012, Manny Pacquiao remained a highly regarded boxer by many.

2012: Highest Paid Athlete Recognition

Manny Pacquiao was recognized by Forbes as the second highest paid athlete in the world in 2012.

November 26, 2013: Tax Freeze Order

On November 26, 2013, the Philippine Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) froze Manny Pacquiao's Philippine bank accounts, alleging unpaid taxes from 2008-2009 earnings in the US. This sparked controversy, with Pacquiao claiming he had paid US taxes.

2013: Pacquiao Re-elected to Congress, Family Members Seek Positions

In 2013, Pacquiao was re-elected to Congress unopposed. His wife, Jinkee, was elected vice-governor of Sarangani, while his brother, Rogelio, lost his congressional bid.

April 17, 2014: Pacquiao Joins Philippine Basketball Association

On April 17, 2014, basketball enthusiast Manny Pacquiao announced his entry into the Philippine Basketball Association as a playing coach for the Kia Motors Basketball team, a new team for the upcoming season.

September 4, 2014: Pacquiao Trains with Golden State Warriors

On September 4, 2014, Pacquiao trained with the Golden State Warriors in preparation for his upcoming stint in the Philippine Basketball Association.

2014: Basketball Involvement and Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

From 2014 to 2017, Manny Pacquiao was involved in basketball, serving as head coach and player for the Philippine Basketball Association team Kia/Mahindra before establishing the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

February 18, 2015: Pacquiao Scores First Point, Sparks Controversy

On February 18, 2015, Pacquiao played briefly and scored one point, contributing to his team's unexpected win. However, his participation was called a "joke" by opponent Daniel Orton, who was later fined and replaced.

April 15, 2015: "Kid Kulafu" Movie Release

On April 15, 2015, "Kid Kulafu," a film centered around Pacquiao's early life in boxing, was released. The movie, featuring young actor Robert Villar as Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao, offered a dramatized portrayal of the Filipino boxing legend's childhood.

May 2, 2015: Highest Selling Pay-Per-View and Ticket Revenue Records

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

October 5, 2015: Pacquiao Announces Senate Run

On October 5, 2015, Pacquiao announced his candidacy for senator under the United Nationalist Alliance party.

October 25, 2015: Pacquiao Scores First Field Goal in PBA

On October 25, 2015, Pacquiao achieved his first field goal in the PBA, despite a loss against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

2015: Financial Success and Pay-Per-View Revenue

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

2015: Second Highest Paid Athlete and PPV Success

In 2015, Forbes ranked Manny Pacquiao as the world's second-highest-paid athlete, having generated approximately 20.4 million pay-per-view buys and $1.3 billion in revenue from 26 PPV bouts.

2015: Signing with Top Rank

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

February 2016: Same-Sex Marriage Comments and Backlash

Manny Pacquiao faced backlash in February 2016 for his comments opposing same-sex marriage, drawing criticism from the LGBTQ+ community and leading Nike to sever their partnership. While he apologized for the hurtful comparison he made, he maintained his stance against same-sex marriage.

May 19, 2016: Pacquiao Elected as Senator

On May 19, 2016, Pacquiao was officially elected as a senator, garnering over 16 million votes and securing the seventh spot.

August 21, 2016: Pacquiao Achieves Career-High Points and First Three-Pointer

On August 21, 2016, Pacquiao had a standout performance, scoring a career-high four points, including his first-ever three-point field goal, leading his team to victory.

September 18, 2016: Pacquiao Supports Duterte Government, Criticizes De Lima

In line with the Duterte government, Pacquiao played a role in removing Duterte critic Leila de Lima from the Senate Justice committee chairmanship and later criticized her presentation on the Davao Death Squad.

2016: ESPN's Top Pound-for-Pound Boxers Ranking

ESPN ranked Manny Pacquiao No. 2 on their list of the top pound-for-pound boxers of the past 25 years in 2016.

2016: Executive Coaching Program

Following his election to the Philippine Senate in 2016, Manny Pacquiao participated in a 9-day Executive Coaching Program. The program was conducted by several prestigious institutions, including the Development Academy of the Philippines and the Ateneo School of Government.

2016: Pacquiao Declines to Compete in 2016 Olympics

In 2016, when professional boxers under 40 were allowed in the Olympics for the first time, Pacquiao chose not to compete.

2016: Manny Pacquiao's Senate Tenure Begins

Manny Pacquiao began his term as a senator of the Philippines in 2016.

2016: End of Reign on Pound-for-Pound List

Manny Pacquiao's time as a top-ten active boxer on The Ring's pound-for-pound list concluded in 2016.

2016: Return to General Santos City

Upon his election to the Philippine Senate in 2016, Manny Pacquiao moved his official residence back to General Santos City. This shift reflected the nationwide nature of his senatorial position.

April 2017: Tax Settlement Attempts

In April 2017, Manny Pacquiao, then a senator, initiated efforts to settle his tax dispute with the Philippine government. This followed a 2013 freeze on his assets due to alleged unpaid taxes, a claim he contested by citing US tax payments.

2017: Pacquiao Establishes Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League

In 2017, Pacquiao founded the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, a semi-professional league in the Philippines which turned professional in 2022.

2017: End of Contract with Top Rank

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

2017: End of Basketball Career

Manny Pacquiao's time with the Kia/Mahindra basketball team ended in 2017.

2017: Pacquiao Defends Paolo Duterte in Drug Shipment Allegations

Pacquiao defended then-Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte from allegations of involvement in a 2017 drug shipment from China to the Philippines.

2018: Pacquiao Files Senate Bills, Supports Capital Punishment

By 2018, Pacquiao had filed 31 Senate bills, including one supporting the reinstatement of capital punishment, in collaboration with Senators Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go.

2018: Signing with Premier Boxing Champions

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

2018: Pacquiao Retires from the PBA

In 2018, despite rumors of transferring teams, Pacquiao announced his retirement from the Philippine Basketball Association after playing for three seasons.

June 2019: Pacquiao's Senate Attendance Record Raises Concerns

In June 2019, data from the Philippine Senate revealed Pacquiao had the poorest attendance among senators, a pattern observed since his time as a congressman. Despite this, he successfully enacted four laws from his proposed bills.

July 2019: Oldest Welterweight Champion

In July 2019, at the age of 40, Manny Pacquiao became the oldest welterweight world champion in history after defeating Keith Thurman.

July 20, 2019: Oldest Welterweight Boxing World Champion

Manny Pacquiao earned the Guinness World Record for being the oldest welterweight boxing world champion when he claimed the WBA Welterweight title at 40 years and 215 days old on July 20, 2019.

December 11, 2019: Graduation from the University of Makati

On December 11, 2019, Manny Pacquiao graduated from the University of Makati with a bachelor's degree in political science, majoring in local government administration. His graduation, facilitated through an accelerated program, drew some controversy regarding its completion timeframe.

2019: Pacquiao Expresses Interest in Owning an NBA Team

Pacquiao shared his post-boxing ambition to own an NBA team in 2019.

December 2020: PDPu2013Laban Leadership Dispute

In December 2020, Pacquiao assumed the role of acting party president of PDPu2013Laban, the ruling political party, following Koko Pimentel's resignation. However, the position became a point of contention between Pacquiao and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, whose faction voted to remove Pacquiao from the party presidency on July 17.

2020: COVID-19 Pandemic Response

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Manny Pacquiao collaborated with Jack Ma, co-founder of Alibaba Group, to provide 50,000 COVID-19 test kits to the Philippines through their respective charitable foundations.

2020: Leadership in PDP-Laban Party

Manny Pacquiao became the leader of the then-ruling PDP-Laban party in 2020, though this leadership was disputed from 2021.

2020: Signing with Paradigm Sports

Manny Pacquiao signed with Paradigm Sports in 2020.

May 2021: Philippine Boxing and Combat Sports Commission Bill

In May 2021, Senator Pacquiao put forward a bill to establish the Philippine Boxing and Combat Sports Commission. The proposal, however, drew criticism from Senator Pia Cayetano, who questioned its timing amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

August 2021: Bout Against Yordenis Ugás

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

September 19, 2021: Presidential Candidacy Announcement

On September 19, 2021, Manny Pacquiao officially declared his candidacy for President of the Philippines, ultimately losing to Bongbong Marcos.

September 29, 2021: Retirement from Boxing

Manny Pacquiao announced his retirement from boxing on September 29, 2021.

2021: Video Game Appearances

In 2021, Manny Pacquiao was featured in several video games. He appeared as a playable character in the "Fight Night" boxing series, inspired the character Paquito in "Mobile Legends: Bang Bang," and was the focus of the mobile game "Fighting Pride: The Manny Pacquiao Saga."

2021: Paradigm Sports Lawsuit

In 2021, Paradigm Sports, with whom Pacquiao had signed an exclusive management contract, filed a lawsuit against him. They alleged a breach of contract, claiming Pacquiao was simultaneously negotiating fights with two management companies.

2021: Recognition as One of the Greatest Boxers

Manny Pacquiao was recognized as one of the top ten boxers of the past three decades by DAZN in 2021.

May 2022: Call for Senator Leila De Lima's Release

In May 2022, Pacquiao advocated for the release of fellow Senator Leila De Lima, who had been detained for five years. This followed the retraction of testimonies against De Lima by witnesses. Previously, Pacquiao had been vocal about De Lima's alleged ties to an alleged drug lord, Kerwin Espinosa, an accusation that had led to her arrest.

2022: The Ring's Top 100 Boxers Ranking

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

2022: Master's Degree in Management

In 2022, Pacquiao received his master's degree in management, specializing in public administration, from Philippine Christian University.

2022: Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League Turns Professional

In 2022, the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, founded by Manny Pacquiao, transitioned into a professional league.

2022: End of Senate Tenure and Presidential Run

Manny Pacquiao's term as senator ended in 2022, the same year he unsuccessfully ran for President of the Philippines.

May 2023: Paradigm Sports Lawsuit Ruling

In May 2023, the Orange County Superior Court ruled in favor of Paradigm Sports in their lawsuit against Manny Pacquiao. The court ordered Pacquiao to pay over $7 million in damages and legal fees.

August 2023: YouTube Channel and Family Content

As of August 2023, Manny Pacquiao's YouTube channel boasted 990,000 subscribers. Notably, his family actively engages in content creation, with his wife and children running their own popular channels, collectively amassing millions of subscribers.

2024: Pacquiao's Olympic Aspirations Dashed by Age Limit

Pacquiao expressed interest in the 2024 Olympics, but the Philippine Olympic Committee's petition for his participation was denied. At 45, he exceeded the IOC's age limit.