Pacquiao holds back tears in emotional Hall of Fame speech

Manny Pacquiao during his speech in the International Boxing Hall of Fame. | Photo from Pacquiao’s Facebook page

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Boxing legend Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao delivered an emotional and heartfelt speech as he was officially inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame on June 9 (Manila time) in Canastota, New York.

Pacquiao, 46, became the fourth Filipino to earn the prestigious honor, joining the ranks of Pancho Villa, Gabriel “Flash” Elorde, and Lope Sarreal.

The historic moment comes just weeks before his highly anticipated return to the ring against reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios on July 19 in Las Vegas.

During the induction weekend, Pacquiao greeted fans with his trademark smile, signed memorabilia, and participated in the parade of honorees, riding in a vintage convertible alongside MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons.

But it was his speech that captured the spirit of his journey and the hearts of those listening. Fighting back tears, Pacquiao reflected on his humble beginnings, unshakable faith, and the sacrifices that shaped his legendary career.

“I came from nothing, just a small boy from the streets of General Santos City. No shoes, no food, no chance, just a dream in my heart,” he said.

“I know hunger. I know pain. I know what it means to be counted out. But I also know what God can do when you keep the faith and never give up,” he added.

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Pacquiao spoke about how boxing changed his life, lifting him from poverty and giving him a purpose that extended far beyond the ring.

“Boxing gave me a way out. It turned my struggles into strength, my failures into lessons, and pain into purpose. From flyweight to junior middleweight, eight divisions. Every fight, every victory was a step away from poverty. It wasn’t just for me, but for my family, for the Filipino people, for the fans, and for the glory of God.”

He also emphasized that he never chased accolades, but instead focused on self-improvement and taking on the toughest challenges and never cherry picked his opponents.

“I never chased greatness. I just worked hard to be better than the Manny Pacquiao I was yesterday. I never picked the easy fights. I chose the hard ones. I moved up weight class after weight class not to protect a record, but to test my limits,” he said.

“Now, when I look back—eight division world champion, world titles in four different decades, oldest welterweight world champion in history—those aren’t opinions, they’re facts,” Pacquiao added.

Still, Pacquiao refused to call himself the greatest, saying that title belongs to others.

“Greatness isn’t what you call yourself, it’s how you live your life and how you inspire others. So call me a fighter, call me a warrior, call me proudly a Filipino, call me a servant of God. Someone asked me, ‘Who is the greatest of all time?’ That’s not for me to decide. It belongs to the fans. It belongs to history.”

Before ending his speech, Pacquiao thanked his loyal fans, the media, and everyone who supported him throughout his career. / mme