Manny Pacquiao hailed top Asian athlete of the 21st century by ESPN
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is ESPN's top Asian athlete of the 21st century.
The sports channel unveiled its list of the most remarkable athletes and trailblazers who have reached the pinnacle of their sport from Asia since 2000.
Pacquiao emerged at the top of the ranking, followed by NBA player Yao Ming, and MLB's Ichiro Suzuki.
In its list, the former senator was described as "arguably one of the greatest boxers of all time" with achievements like being the only boxer to hold eight-division world titles and hold world titles in three different decades. It also highlighted his 35-6-2 pro record.
Throughout his career, Pacquiao defeated boxing legends like Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Oscar De La Hoya, and Miguel Cotto.
Pacquiao was also part of ESPN's top 100 professional athletes since 2000 in the 71st spot.
Apart from the boxer-turned-senator, two other Filipino athletes made the Asian list.
Ranking at no. 19, weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz was also recognized for bringing home the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
"Diaz's dedication and resilience are evident in her journey, overcoming numerous challenges to reach the pinnacle of her sport," ESPN wrote.
Meanwhile, 10-time PBA champion June Mar Fajardo placed in the 25th spot. "Fajardo's consistent excellence and influence on Philippine basketball underscore his significant impact on the sport that Filipinos love," the list read.
South Korean footballer Son Heung-Min, four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka, and three-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming Sun Yang also made the ranking in the fourth, fifth, and sixth places, respectively.
Pacquiao retired from boxing in September 2021 and made an unsuccessful bid for president of the Philippines in 2022. Since, he has competed in exhibition matches against former WBA super bantamweight champion Jesus Salud and Korean YouTuber DK Yoo. He's set for a three-round exhibition fight against Chihiro Suzuki on July 28 in Japan.
The boxing legend also hoped to be part of the Philippines' roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics but he was deemed too old to compete.
