Few athletes have carried a country the way Manny Pacquiao carried the Philippines. He grew up poor in Mindanao, yet he ended up winning world titles in four different decades.
This guide walks through his life, record, titles, age, height, net worth, and legacy in plain language. By the end, you’ll know why fans still call him PacMan.
Manny Pacquiao is a Filipino professional boxer, known as PacMan, and he’s the only eight-division world champion in boxing history. His full name is Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao. He fights as a southpaw, and his hand speed was almost unfair. Plenty of experts put him among the greatest ever, and he also spent years in Philippine politics.
Here’s a quick snapshot of the personal facts people search for most. Each row answers a simple question about his name, birthplace, size and fighting style, so you can scan it in seconds and move on.
| Detail | Fact |
| Full name | Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao |
| Nickname | PacMan |
| Born | December 17, 1978, in Kibawe, Bukidnon |
| Raised in | General Santos, Philippines |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) |
| Reach | 67 in (170 cm) |
| Stance | Southpaw |
Manny Pacquiao was born on December 17, 1978, which makes him 47 as of October 2026. He turns 48 in December. Age never slowed him much, either. In July 2019, he became the oldest welterweight world champion ever, at just over 40.
Manny Pacquiao's height is listed at 5 feet 5 inches, or about 165 centimeters. That’s small for a welterweight. His reach is 67 inches, but speed and tricky southpaw angles more than made up for it. He regularly fought taller men and still won by darting in fast and punching from odd angles.
Manny Pacquiao's nationality is Filipino. He was born in Kibawe, Bukidnon, on the island of Mindanao, then grew up in General Santos, the city he still calls home. Back in the Philippines, his fight nights have long felt like national events, and streets often go quiet while people watch.
Manny Pacquiao's life story starts with poverty. Money was tight, and growing up was hard. His uncle, Sardo Mejia, introduced him to boxing at 12 and trained him in a rough home gym.
At 14, Pacquiao moved to Manila, lived on the streets, and worked construction to help his mother. He turned pro in January 1995 at just 16. Then, in December 1998, he won his first major title.

The Manny Pacquiao boxing record is 62 wins, 8 losses and 3 draws in 73 pro fights. Thirty-nine of those wins came by knockout, which tells you he hit harder than his size suggests. His latest fight was a majority draw against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios in July 2025.
| Category | Number |
| Total professional fights | 73 |
| Wins | 62 |
| Wins by knockout | 39 |
| Losses | 8 |
| Draws | 3 |
| Amateur record | 60–4 |
Manny Pacquiao has won 62 pro fights, and 39 of them ended by knockout. That’s roughly 85 percent of his fights over three decades, which is hard to believe when you think about who he fought. He beat 22 world champions along the way, including Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto.
Then there’s the big one. His May 2015 fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. set Guinness records for pay-per-view sales and ticket revenue in Las Vegas. Mayweather won on points, but the night turned Pacquiao into one of boxing’s biggest global stars.
Manny Pacquiao has won twelve major world titles across eight weight divisions, and no other boxer has done that. He also took the lineal championship in four weight classes and held world titles in four different decades. Most of those belts came against top-tier rivals.
Here’s each division with the year and a key opponent from that title run. Keep in mind that belts came from different sanctioning bodies, so exact title names can vary depending on the source. It’s a long list, but it shows how far he climbed.
| Division | Year | Key win |
| Flyweight | 1998 | Chatchai Sasakul |
| Super bantamweight | 2001 | Lehlohonolo Ledwaba |
| Featherweight | 2003 | Marco Antonio Barrera |
| Super featherweight | 2008 | Juan Manuel Márquez |
| Lightweight | 2008 | David Díaz |
| Light welterweight | 2009 | Ricky Hatton |
| Welterweight | 2009 | Miguel Cotto |
| Light middleweight | 2010 | Antonio Margarito |
Winning titles in eight divisions meant climbing from 112 pounds up to 154 over about twelve years. Think about that for a second. Pacquiao also became the first boxer to win major titles in four of the original eight glamour divisions. Nobody else has matched the eight-division feat, and Guinness World Records lists it officially.
His career achievements go well past the belts. Here are the highlights fans and experts bring up most when they argue about his place in history.
Manny Pacquiao's net worth is tough to pin down because every source gives a different number. Forbes reported in 2016 that he was set to retire with about $500 million in career earnings. His fights also brought in about $1.3 billion in pay-per-view revenue across 26 events, based on reported figures.
| Money fact | Reported detail |
| Career earnings | About $500 million (Forbes, 2016) |
| Pay-per-view revenue | About $1.3 billion from 26 bouts |
| Forbes ranking in 2015 | Second highest-paid athlete |
Online net worth figures swing wildly, so treat any single number as a rough estimate, not a fact. Outside the ring, he’s tried business too, including the MannyPay e-wallet launched in November 2025 to lower transfer fees.
Manny Pacquiao Hall of Fame status became official in 2025, when the International Boxing Hall of Fame inducted him. The Ring ranked him ninth on its 2022 list of the 100 greatest boxers ever. And in the Philippines, millions see his climb out of poverty as proof that hard work can pay off.
Pacquiao entered politics in 2010 and represented Sarangani province in the House of Representatives for six years. From 2016 to 2022, he served as a senator, and he lost his 2022 presidential run to Bongbong Marcos.
After losing a 2025 Senate race, he was appointed head of the National Anti-Poverty Commission in September 2026. He also played and coached in the PBA and founded the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League in 2017.
Manny Pacquiao took a poor childhood and turned it into a boxing career few athletes will ever match. The record, the twelve world titles, and the Hall of Fame spot put him among the greatest fighters in history. Love his speed, his story, or his public service, there’s something in his journey for almost everyone.
Manny Pacquiao was born on December 17, 1978, so he’s 47 years old as of October 2026. He turns 48 this December and is still a very visible public figure in the Philippines.
He announced his retirement in September 2021 after losing to Yordenis Ugas. But he came back in July 2025 and fought Mario Barrios to a majority draw for the WBC welterweight title.
Yes. The International Boxing Hall of Fame inducted Manny Pacquiao in the class of 2025. That same year, the WBC also named him Fighter of the Century, which only adds to his legacy.
He won titles at flyweight, super bantamweight, featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight, light welterweight, welterweight and light middleweight, which makes eight divisions in total. His eighth title came in 2010 against Antonio Margarito.
After losing the 2025 Senate race, Pacquiao accepted an appointment from President Marcos in September 2026 as secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission, so he’s now working in public service for the Philippine government.