Talk about a slam dunk or a no-brainer. Manny Pacquiao, now eligible to be voted into The Hall of Fame with him not having boxed for over three years, is to be enshrined next year. Pacquiao, one of the greatest fighters of all time, did so much in the sport, and now he will be placed on the wall alongside so many other special, special fighters. And Pac-Man will join his long-time trainer, Freddie Roach, in being enshrined at Canastota.
Roach spoke about Pacquiao being on the ballot for the 2025 inductees.
2012 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee and seven-time Boxing Writers Association of America “Trainer of the Year” Freddie Roach’s reaction to Manny Pacquiao’s election as part of the IBHOF’s class of 2025. During their 20-year tenure together, Manny won world titles in seven of a record eight weight divisions, was the BWAA’s first Fighter of the Decade (2000 – 2009), and a three-time BWAA “Fighter of the Year.”
“I opened my gym, Wild Card Boxing Club, in hopes that the next Muhammad Ali would walk through the door. Little did I know that in 2001, my Muhammad Ali would weigh 122 pounds. His name was Manny Pacquiao, and he was and still is the pride of the Philippines. For twenty years, after Manny and I first did mitts in the ring at Wild Card, we trained together for some of the biggest fights. As his collection of world championship belts grew, so did his presence in boxing and the world. Today’s announcement that Manny will be a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame’s class of 2025 makes me incredibly proud. As much as I loved working together with Manny all those years, I’m even happier sharing the same wall with him at the International Boxing Hall of Fame.”
Pacquiao, though, may fight again. There has been talk of him perhaps getting a title shot against Mario Barrios, with some other fights also spoken about as maybes. In truth, his millions of fans know the truth: Pacquiao has nothing at all to prove, and he doesn’t need to fight again. Now to be an International Boxing Hall of Famer, Pacquiao will collect yet another well-deserved honor and distinction. Really, how could any writer eligible to cast a vote not put a tick in the box next to Manny Pacquiao’s name!?
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