Manny Pacquiao enters 4th decade as boxing world champion
MANILA, Philippines — Despite turning 41 last December, Manny Pacquiao continues to make history — entering his fourth decade in professional boxing as a world champion.
Winning against Keith Thurman in July 2019, Pacquiao took the WBA "super" welterweight championship and thus became the only fighter to hold world titles in four different decades.
So blessed to be entering my 4th decade in boxing. 2020 is going to be ???? ???? pic.twitter.com/iQc3Tt1MaD
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) January 3, 2020
In the 1990s, Pacquiao took his first ever world title when he outpointed Chatchai Sasakul for the WBC Fyweight belt in April 1998.
Although Pacquiao would lose the flyweight strap a year later, a win over Reynante Jamili in 1999 for the WBC International super bantamweight title enabled him to enter the new millenium as a minor champion.
Pacquiao's most successful decade as a boxer came in the 2000s where he claimed belts at super featherweight, lightweight, light welterweight and welterweight.
His staggering success earned him the Fighter of the Decade citation.
At the start of the 2010s, the fighting senator became the only boxer to become a champion in eight different weight divisions after deafeating Antonio Margarito in November of 2010 to become the WBO junior middleweight champion.
But Pacquiao's career would dip in later years, suffering four losses — including one against undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. — from 2012 to 2017.
However, Pacquiao would put on a string of three wins in the decade's last two years to prove there is still a lot left in the tank for the boxing legend.
Despite this, the 41-year-old was not included the shortlist for the 2010s Fighter of the Decade plum.
Entering the new year, Pacquiao looks to Danny Garcia as his next conquest.
But a rematch against Mayweather Jr. may be on the table too with the American boxer teasing a return to the boxing ring last year.
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