Pacquaio Named Boxer Of The Decade

Sports News - February 1st, 2010 - Written By John Ritter

The Boxer's Writing Association of America named Manny Pacquiao the boxer of the year, and decade on Monday. This is Pacquiao's third time receiving boxer of the year honors, which propels him in the company of Muhammad Ali, and Evander Holyfield, as the only men to win the award three times.

Pacquiao sports a career record of 50-3, with 38 KO's. He ended this decade back in November, when he matched up in a welterweight bout with Miguel Cotto, which Pacquiao won by unanimous decision. The win gave Pacquaio a history-making seventh different weight class title.

The top pound-for-pound fighter in the world beat out fellow fighters Flloyd Mayweather, Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Marco Antonio Barrera for fighter of the decade.

Pacquiao has recently made headlines due to his canceled fight with Mayweather. Pacquiao currently has a pending lawsuit against Mayweather. Mayweather accused him of taking performance enhancing drugs. The two sides could not come to an agreement on drug testing. Mayweather wanted random blood testing within 30 days of the fight, which Pacquiao would not agree to based on his belief system. He had pledged to take a test immediately following the fight however. Mayweather publicly accused Pacquaio of not being in co-ordinance with performance enhancing substances.

The fight was slated to be the highest prized bout in history, but is now officially off.

Instead, Pacquiao has agreed to put his WBO title on the line against Joshua Clottey, at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Texas in March.

In addition to Pacquiao's award, his trainer, Freddie Roach, was honored with the Eddie Futch Award. This award is handed out to the trainer of the year. This is the fourth time that Roach has received the honor. Roach and Futch has history together, as Futch used to train Roach.

Pacquiao is the heavy favorite in his upcoming fight according to the Boxing Betting Lines at Bodog Sportsbook. He has been installed as a -500 to retain his belt. Clottey assumes the underdog role, with odds at +350. The fight is slated for March 13th.