Times Square Gossip: MANNY PACQUIAO

Manny Pacquiao Observes Bill Austin With Patient

Starkey Hearing Foundation, which strives to change the social consciousness of hearing and hearing health care, wrapped up its hearing mission in Manila on Monday, December 5, 2011 with the help of Filipino Professional Boxer Manny Pacquiao, who assisted in fitting more than 150 children and adults with hearing aids over the course of the mission’s final day.

During the four-day mission, Starkey Hearing Foundation delivered the gift of hearing to 1,400 patients with the Foundation team of audiologists and staff fitting each of the recipients with their own custom-made, hearing device. The mission took place at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

Starkey Hearing Foundation’s Manila hearing mission is one of dozens of missions conducted each year by the Foundation both domestically and internationally. Hearing missions are the primary way the Starkey Hearing Foundation realizes its goal so the world may hear. In turn, the Foundation has set a target of fitting 1,000,000 hearing aids to individuals in need by the end of this decade.

According to the Starkey Hearing Foundation, hearing loss is pervasive affecting 34 million Americans alone – or one in 10. Yet, with the help of a hearing device, hearing loss can often be corrected in a majority cases, giving an individual the opportunity to better connect with their family, the community, and the world around them.

About Starkey Hearing Foundation

Starkey Hearing Foundation is striving to foster greater understanding among individuals and communities through hearing care by focusing on awareness, education, protection and treatment so the world may hear. Hearing loss affects one in 10 Americans, and 63 million children worldwide, yet many do not have access to the hearing devices that can help them. From 2000 to 2010, Starkey Hearing Foundation fit more than 500,000 hearing aids to people in need in the U.S. and around the world. The Foundation has grown that commitment to more than 100,000 hearing aids annually and is dedicated to fitting 1 million hearing aids this decade. In addition to giving the gift of hearing through worldwide hearing missions, Starkey Hearing Foundation promotes hearing health awareness through the Listen Carefully initiative and provides hearing instruments to low-income Americans through the Hear Now program. For more information on Starkey Hearing Foundation, visit www.starkeyhearingfoundation.org.

Photo Courtesy Of: Starkey Hearing Foundation

Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao (pronounced born December 17, 1978), known as Manny "Pac-Man" Pacquiao is a Filipino professional boxer, part-time actor and recording artist. He is the former WBC Lightweight world champion, WBC Super Featherweight world champion, IBF Super Bantamweight world champion, and WBC Flyweight world champion. He has also held the Ring Magazine titles for Featherweight, Super Featherweight, and Light Welterweight divisions. For his achievements, he became the first Filipino and Asian boxer to win five world titles in five different weight divisions.

He is currently the IBO and Ring Magazine Light Welterweight champion and is rated by the Ring Magazine as the 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world. He is also the first boxer to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. Pacquiao was born in Kibawe, Bukidnon, Mindanao and currently resides in his home town General Santos City, South Cotabato, Philippines. He is married to Jinkee Pacquiao and they have four children.

Pacquiao started his professional boxing career at the age of 16 at 106 lbs (Light Flyweight). His early fights took place in small local venues and were shown on Vintage Sports' Blow by Blow, an evening boxing show. His professional debut was a 4-round bout against Edmund "Enting" Ignacio on January 22, 1995, which Pacquiao won via decision, becoming an instant star of the program. Close friend Mark Penaflorida's death in 1994 spurred the young Pacquiao to pursue a professional boxing career.His weight increased from 106 to 113 lbs before losing in his 12th bout against Rustico Torrecampo via a third-round knockout (KO).

Pacquiao had not made the weight. So he was forced to use heavier gloves than Torrecampo, thereby putting Pacquiao at a disadvantage.Shortly after the Torrecampo fight, Pacquiao settled at 112 lbs, winning the WBC Flyweight title over Chatchai Sasakul in the eighth round only to lose it in his second defense against Medgoen Singsurat, also known as Medgoen 3K Battery, via a third-round knockout on a bout held at Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. Technically, Pacquiao lost the belt at the scales as he surpassed the weight limit of 112 lbs (51 kg).

Pacquiao was also mentioned by World Wrestling Entertainment's ECW on Syfy color commentator Matt Striker in reference to Christian's tag team match with Tommy Dreamer vs. Jack Swagger and Mark Henry. Striker compares Christian's left and right punches like the speed of Pacquiao's fists.

Pacquiao has been included by Time Magazine as one of the world's most influential people for the year 2009, for his exploits in boxing and his influence among the Filipino people. Pacquiao was also included by Forbes Magazine in its annual Celebrity 100 list for the year 2009, joining Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie and fellow athletes Tiger Woods and Bryant. Forbes also listed Pacquiao as world's 6th highest-paid athlete, with a total of $40 million from second half of 2008 to first half of 2009.

The athletes who ranked ahead of Pacquiao were Woods at number 1 spot ($110 million); Bryant, basketball legend Michael Jordan, and Formula One star Kimi Räikkönen sharing the number 2 rank ($45 million each); and football superstar David Beckham at number 5 ($42 million). Pacquiao had also won the 2009 ESPY Awards for the Best Fighter category, beating fellow boxer Shane Mosley and Brazilian mixed martial arts fighter Lyoto Machida.