PacMan (a biography about Manny Pacquiao) now in bookstores, rave reviews

PacMan:  Behind the Scenes With Manny Pacquiao (Da Capo) is now in bookstores.  It has been the number one boxing book on Amazon US, Amazon UK, and on the Kindle for the last two weeks.  (Click here for Amazon US; here for Amazon UK; and here for the Kindle.)

The book has been getting lots of attention and rave reviews.  I have been interviewed on radio programs in the United States and the UK, I have a cover story in American Way Magazine, the book has been praised in Sports Illustrated, New York Newsday, and in the boxing press, and I have been interviewed by the Daily Telegraph and several other outlets, and a lot more talk about the book will happen this week because Pacquiao is featured on Sunday’s 60 Minutes (the program used my book to help research its segment) and he fights the following Saturday (November 13) at Cowboys Stadium.  Look for the book in the Dallas, Las Vegas and Los Angeles airports, too.  There is a poster give-way with every purchase of PacMan.

I will be in Dallas covering the fight.  To reach me, please use email:  gap [AT] garyandrewpoole [DOT] com

Praise for PacMan:  Behind The Scenes With Manny Pacquiao–The Greatest Pound-for-Pound Fighter in the World (Da Capo)

“Gary Andrew Poole’s excellent biography of boxing’s pound-for-pound kingpin is absolutely worth the read.”–Sports Illustrated

“This is good, one for the ages.  It’s not the work of a ridiculous fan boy.  It’s a fantastic book.  It’s quality.  If you listen to me enough, you know I don’t endorse books that are garbage.”  Steve Bunce, BBC (Interview here.)

“It is an amazing behind-the-scenes look into the life of Manny Pacquiao. Thus far, no other journalist has gone this deep into the life of Pacquiao.  Poole had tremendous access while he traveled the world reporting and observing the fighter. The effort has paid off for the readers because the book is brutally honest. Poole takes you on a one-of-a-kind ride into the one-of-a-kind life of Manny Pacquiao.”–New York Newsday

“Poole takes you on a journey to Planet Pacquiao and it couldn’t have been a better read…I loved the book from beginning to end, it’s a fantastic, entertaining and informative read…and I consider it to be as good as any boxing biography my hands have ever touched.”–Boxing Insider

“PacMan tells the rags to riches story of this remarkable boxer who has begun a journey which will see him transcend the sport. It is a fine biography.”–The Daily Telegraph

“If you don’t know Pacquiao’s amazing story, Poole will open your eyes. If you know Pacquiao already, Poole will help you know him more deeply. And with a masterful guide like Poole leading you down the path, you’ll enjoy the experience immensely.”–The Queensberry Rules

“Well written and provides fresh in-sight into the life of the world’s most-popular boxer.”–The Ring

For a daily dose of PacMan book news, go to the PacMan:  The Book FaceBook page.

This entry was written by Poole, posted on November 5, 2010 at 9:28 pm, filed under Boxing, PacMan, Uncategorized. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.



Poole on A&E’s Biography

I am featured on A & E’s “Biography” in a documentary about Manny Pacquiao.  The documentary first airs in Asia on October 27.

This entry was written by Poole, posted on October 26, 2010 at 1:08 pm, filed under Boxing, PacMan. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.



Manila

Manny Pacquiao started his pro career here.

This entry was written by admin, posted on September 29, 2010 at 11:09 am, filed under Boxing, PacMan and tagged . Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.



Nike “Boom”

Nike \”Boom\” Commercial, featuring Pacquiao

This entry was written by Poole, posted on September 27, 2010 at 8:13 am, filed under Boxing, PacMan. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.



Mayweather Rant Controversy

I was on ABS-CBN (large Filipino TV network) today talking about the Mayweather controversy, and my book.  And follow up story on the ABS-CBN Website–“Writer says Floyd’s tirade shows fear.”

This entry was written by Poole, posted on September 9, 2010 at 10:47 pm, filed under Boxing, PacMan. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.



Mayweather Rants Against Pacquiao

Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s racist rant against pound-for-pound champion Manny Pacquiao was caught on tape and became another strange and disturbing chapter in the non-fight of the century.  Mayweather eventually apologized saying he was just “having fun.”   As Pacquiao said, “I don’t need him, he needs me.  Compare my achievements in boxing to his achievements.”  As for the video, Pacquiao took his typically classy approach to the video, in which Mayweather called him a “Filipino midget” and a “yellow chump.”  Said Pacquiao:  “Because of his attack on my dignity and by exposing his ignorance, people have given more notice to my fight.”  Pacquiao will be fighting Antonio Margarito on November 13.

This entry was written by Poole, posted on September 2, 2010 at 11:10 pm, filed under Boxing, PacMan. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.



Talk of Mayweather Overshadows Pacquiao Vs. Margarito

Manny Pacquiao will fight Antonio Margarito on November 13 in Cowboys Stadium.  The event’s promoters hope 70,000 people will attend the fight, which would make it the largest crowd in modern boxing history.  The bout features the dynamic Pacquiao, a seven-time title winner in as many weight divisions who will be going for an unprecedented eighth title (WBC light middleweight).  Both fighters are known to be hyperly-aggressive and good ring technicians.  But a potentially great bout is sure to be overshadowed by the recent demise of the Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. negotiations and because Pacquiao will be fighting the much-chastised Margarito, who was caught with lethal illegal handwraps.

The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight would have been the most lucrative in boxing history and the most talked about match of the last thirty years–there is worldwide appeal for the fight because of the animosity between the two pugilists, considered the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world and who both have a lot of star power. (The PacMan didn’t want to talk about Mayweather when I chatted with him before Tuesday’s press conference except to say, “‘I don’t need him, he needs me.  Compare my achievements in boxing to his achievements.”  His upcoming fight against Margarito is definitely a letdown, and he seemed more interested in talking about his own political work–on his agenda is passing a tougher human trafficking law–as a Congressman in the Philippines.)

Margarito isn’t the easiest person to sell to casual boxing fans.  He was denied a boxing license in Nevada and California because of issues over illegal handwraps.  At the kickoff presser today at the Beverly Hills Hotel,  Bob Arum, the CEO of Top Rank, belittled the media’s criticism of Margarito:  “The one thing I can’t tolerate is injustice, particularly in this country,” roared Arum.  He went onto say that Margarito wasn’t aware of the illegal wraps.  “It was bullshit.  Antonio Margarito did not know those hand wraps were illegal.  There wasn’t one shred of evidence!”  (Arum would get on a plane right after the press conference–he went to Seattle to be close to the search for his missing son, the oldest of his three children.) Not surprisingly, Margarito wanted to move beyond the issue:  “Everything that has happened is in the past, we are in the present.”  But when pressed, Pacquiao scoffed at the notion that Margarito didn’t know that his trainer was putting a plaster-like substance in his gloves prior to a 2009 fight against Shane Mosley.  “He is just making some alibi,” Pacquiao said.  “He is the one who wraps his hands and he doesn’t know what is in there?” Pacquiao asked rhetorically. “Of course he knows. What do you think? My belief is he knows that.”  Boxing’s pound-for-pound champion says he wants somebody watching Margarito’s hands getting wrapped before they meet in Texas.  “My concern is that we have somebody in the dressing room, someone else watching him,” Pacquiao said.

After the demise of the Mayweather negotiations, Arum asked Pacquiao to give Margarito another chance (both men are under contract to Arum’s company, Top Rank.)  “He is human he made a mistake,” said Pacquiao. “People are worried about me fighting this guy. We are going to give him a chance.”

While some bookies are making him a 5-1 favorite, it might not be easy for Pacquiao.  Alex Ariza, the PacMan’s conditioning coach, looked at the taller Margarito and joked, “They keep getting bigger.”  Pacquiao has gone from 105 to 154, and became the boxer of the decade by vanquishing his ever bigger opponents, including superstars Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.  His last eleven victories were either against reigning or former world champions, and just three of them—Juan Manuel Marquez, Oscar Larios, and Erik Morales—lasted the distance.  And yet his continuous climb up the weight divisions is certainly a continuous challenge, especially against someone of Margarito’s skill.

Pacquiao said he will probably weigh 151 pounds at fight time and he is still in his prime while Margarito seems like a more tired fighter.  There is a signficant physical difference–when the two men stood side-by-side Pacquiao, 5′ 6″, craned his neck to look up at the Tijuana Tornado, 5′ 11″.

This entry was written by Poole, posted on August 31, 2010 at 8:27 pm, filed under Boxing, PacMan. Leave a comment or view the discussion at the permalink and follow any comments with the RSS feed for this post.




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