Manny Pacquiao Became a Pro Boxer After His Dad Cooked His Pet Dog

There are many a hardships that push people to become successful.

Pacquiao’s renowned trainer, Freddie Roach, told Yahoo! Sports that the boxer’s family struggled with extreme poverty growing up in the Philippines.

When he was about 12 years old, Manny caught his dad eating his beloved pet dog for food. Traumatized, Pacquiao ran away from home and began living on the streets.

“He lived on the street, where he bought doughnuts at a doughnut store and then sold each one for a nickel more to survive.”

Two years later at the age of 14, the talented Pacquiao turned pro to escape his situation.

“He slept in a cardboard box. He fought his way through all this, turned pro at 14, and look at the man he is today.

Roach added:

“The Philippines is a poor place, there’s no welfare, no health system and if you don’t have a job or money then you do anything to survive.”

Today, Pacquiao is regarded as a hero in his country, and he’s been painted as a beloved family man — he also has another dog, a Jack Russell Terrier named Pacman.

Roach, who has trained the boxer since 2001, told Yahoo! Sports what it’s like being close to the world famous boxer.

“I went to his birthday party, the President of the Philippines was there, there were 5,000 people at the party, and 10,000 outside who couldn’t get in. He’s an icon, because he represents the hopes of so many people.

“When he fights, there is no crime in the Philippines, because everyone is watching him box. He has come such a long way. He wants to go into politics, he’s going to college right now and after two more years of boxing he will go into politics.”

Pacquiao will enter the ring for the much-anticipated fight against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. this Saturday, May 2.

h/t: TMZ Images via WSJ

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