The accolades keep on coming for pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao. The Filipino boxing superstar made it to TIME Magazine’s “Person of the Year 2009” list which named US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke as this year’s Person of the Year.
Pacquiao’s entry into the list is a perfect birthday gift for the boxer, who turned 31 on Thursday (December 17).
The seven-division champion, who graced the cover of the TIME Asia Edition on November, was among the 25 “People Who Mattered” this year. He was cited for being a “savior” of his compatriots and boxing fans.
“For his countrymen, the diminutive (5 ft. 6 in. and change) pugilist once again proved that their archipelago could produce more than tales of violence, poverty and natural disaster — that there was some undefined quality that could produce a fighter of such speed, resiliency and charisma as to be a living legend,” according to the TIME.com entry.
“For boxing fans, Pacquiao defied physics, rising through six weight classes to win seven world titles — and galvanizing the sport like no other boxer in years,” the entry continued.
Pacquiao scored stunning victories this year over Ricky Hatton of Britain (knockout in Round 2) and Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico (technical knockout in Round 12).
Visceral charm
TIME expects Pacquiao’s “visceral charm — or his bloody attraction” to continue in 2010 with his upcoming blockbuster bout against Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Pacquiao is also set to run for the Sarangani Province congressional seat in the May 10 elections.
Meanwhile, in the “People Who Mattered” poll, Pacquiao was ranked at No. 13 with an average rating of 47 after getting 3,076 votes.
The Filipino boxing sensation earlier made it to ESPNStar.com’s “Top 10 Stars of 2009,” Forbes Magazine’s “100 most powerful celebrities in the world (No. 57)” and TIME’s “100 Most Influential People (No. 22).”
Others who mattered
TIME Magazine’s “People Who Mattered” list also included athletes Tiger Woods, Alex Rodriguez. US President Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Aghan President Hamid Karzai were also in the list together with Honduras’ Manuel Zelaya and Roberto Micheletti (tied).
Celebrities Taylor Swift, Jon and Kate Gosselin, Adam Lambert, Jay Leno and David Letterman, and Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart of “Twilight” were also entered in the list.
Meanwhile, runners-up to “Person of the Year” Bernanke were Gen. Stanley McChrystal of the US, the Chinese Worker, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt.
No comments:
Post a Comment