Earlier this night, we were partying it up in Manhattan with Manny Pacquiao, Freddie Roach, and Bob Arum for the Boxing Writers Association of America awards.
Manny has been voted winner of the BWAA’s Edward J. Neil “Fighter of the Year” award for 2008. In 2008, Manny fought and won three fights. He began in March by winning his rematch against Juan Manuel Marquez. Pacqiuao moved up to lightweight in June and stopped champion David Diaz in nine rounds. Then Pacquiao moved up to welterweright to defeat Oscar De La Hoya in December. Pacquiao also won the Neil award in 2006.
Manny’s’s trainer Freddie Roach takes the Futch-Condon Award for “Trainer of the Year.” Roach previously won the award in 2003 and 2006.
Here is a transcription of Manny’s speech (courtesy of Dennis “dSource” Guillermo):
“Pleasant evening to all the guests, my fellow awardees and the esteemed members of the Boxing Writers Association of America. I would like to congratulate the Boxing Writers Association of America for it’s 84th annual awards night. Your long existence only proves that there no association more prestigious than the Boxing Writers Association of America.
You have passed the test of time. It is my great honor and privilege to be chosen as the 2008 Fighter of the Year. It is for this reason that I chose to travel half across the globe to personally receive this award tonight.
Choosing me as the fighter of the year in 2006 was the highest accolade in my boxing career. Giving it to me for the second time leaves me with no words to express the joy and how grateful I feel. It would surely pain me not to come accept this prestigious award personally. I want to let you know that it is a privilege to personally receive this award and thank everybody for their trust and confidence you have given me. Deep in my heart I know how the BWAA has supported me in my boxing career. The members have been kind and wonderful to me in the write-ups.
Who I am, not only in America but the whole world is something I owe to you my friends. And for that, I will be forever grateful. (cheers and applause) For honoring me with this prestigious award, I promise the Boxing Writers Association of America that the boxing fans will see a more exciting Manny Pacquiao, every round, every minute, every second I fight on the top of the ring…
I also hope that this award will serve as an example and an inspiration for the young fighters to believe in themselves and keep on dreaming big. Always remember, your dreams will always be inside you. No one can take it away.
Having this award now is really larger than life; having to follow the footprints of the legendary fighters. But I didn’t do it all by myself. I had the help and support of many people. I’d like to take this rare opportunity to thank all of them, especially to our God. Without God I am not here. For all the blessing he gave me, Thank you.
And to my wife and kids: Jinkee, Michael, Jimwell, Princess and Queen Elizabeth and to my family who supported me — advice, encouragement and comfort over the course of this endeavor having more than I can express.
Mr. Bob Arum, my promoter Bob, Thanks for believing in me.
To my trainer Freddie Roach, Congratulations coach for being the trainer of the year. You deserve it!
To the members of Team Pacquiao, it has been a wonderful year for all of us.
To the Filipino nation who continue to inspire me to do my best. To all the boxing fans, to my fellow nominees who are equally great and excellent in their own way. And to all the people and institutions that I forgot to mention who in one way or another contributed a lot to making everything possible for me. Thank you! This is for you!!!”
Here are some pictures courtesy of our excellent Blackberry camera.
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Congratulation to you pacman you just prove that you really are the best fighter in the world by winning not only your bout with ricky but also the 2 time bwaa boxer of the year awardee..again congrats pacman please continue giving honor to our country..
Manny Pacquiao, for all his accomplishments, still has his head in the right place. So humble, so gracious, and most of all, so deserving….There will never ever be another Mannny Pacquiao!
did floyd mayweather sr win this trainer of the year? how many?
prove that roach is the best trainer and manny is the best fighter.
Congratulations to you Manny Pacquiao and Coach Fredie Roach. You are both an inspiration to all of us. God will continue to bless the two of you.
Manny, as Filipino allow me to say “Thank you very very much” for bringing Filipinos all over the globe to be knownn no one (there are some but minor thanks to them too)had done this to us our joy evrytime you are in the ring, feeling proude evrytime your name are mentioned in any form of communication and now the Most prestagiuos award you have just recieved you are sharing to all of us…. Manny youved done what you have supposed tom be done and we are haapy for that what ever will happend in your next or future figths don’t worry you’ve already build a place in our hearts. GOD BLESS A MAN LIKE YOU WHO REMAIN HUMBLE inspite of the great awards you have recieved……
[...] Freddie Roach Received Trainer of the Year Award [...]
[...] Freddie Roach Received Trainer of the Year Award [...]
Congrats to Manny Pacquiao!
Congrats to Freddie Roach!
Congrats to Bob Arum!
Congrats to the Pacquiao Team!
God bless to you all and to your respective families.
We watched on pay-per-view the Pacquiao-Cotto fight here in Jeddah,Saudi Arabia. That was an excellent fight! Cotto did his best but Manny Pacquiao was the better boxer.
Manny you are right…All the glory, fame, honor, wealth and health belongs to God!
God Bless.