The Underdog

I remember the headline in The Sun which screamed "Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster", but it seems Manny Pacquiao fared even worse having run away from home after his father ate his pet dog.

Now the Philippino fighter is the 'underdog', so to speak, in tomorrow night's big showdown with Floyd Mayweather, but maybe if Manny can see his father is standing in Mayweather's shoes he might just overcome the odds. 


Manny Pacquiao 'ran away from home to live on the streets aged 12 because his father ate his dog'

Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach made the shock revelation

By JAMES ORR - The Independent

Ahead of Saturday's 'fight of the century', when Manny Pacquiao faces Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas, Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach has made the startling revelation that his fighter ran away from home to live on the streets at the age of 12 - because he caught his father eating his dog.

Roach said that times were so hard for poverty-stricken Pacquiao family in the Philippines that his father cooked the dog for food. Pacquiao was so devastated by this he went to live on the streets, before turning professional just two years later aged 14.

"Manny ran away from home after his father ate his dog," veteran trainer Roach revealed.

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

"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.

"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."

The contest at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is expected to generate more than £300m for the pair, with the spilt going 60/40 in Mayweather's favour.

Floyd Mayweather arrived at the MGM Arena last nightMayweather, 38, is an 11-time, five-weight world champion, while the Filipino Pacquiao, 36, has won versions of the world title at a record eight different weights.

Manny Pacquiao and his trainer Freddy RoachWBA and WBC welterweight titleist Mayweather's record stands at 47-0, while WBO champion Pacquiao has lost five of his 64 fights, with two draws.

The fight will be broadcast on Sky Sports Box Office for UK viewers. The fight will cost £19.95 to purchase on Box Office, and will cost an additional £2 booking fee for those who book on the day.