Manny Pacquiao was beaten for the very first time 30 years ago today.
‘PacMan’ is among the greatest fighters of all time in boxing, a status he achieved by becoming the only fighter in the sport’s history to win twelve world titles across eight different divisions.
The Filipino collected the lineal championship in five weight classes en route to an induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2025, but his successful three-decade career has not been without setbacks.
It took 25 professional fights for Pacquiao to challenge for his first world title, and he did not do so as an unbeaten boxer.
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The first man to beat Manny Pacquiao earned less than $150 and was later wanted by police
On this day, February 9, in 1996, Pacquiao was both beaten and knocked out for the first time.
The man responsible for conquering the then-future legend was Rustico Torrecampo, a journeyman who was 11-4-5 leading into his clash with ‘PacMan’ in the Philippines.
Torrecampo knocked Pacquiao out in round three, but the result was not without controversy. After the 17-year-old missed weight, he fought in eight-ounce gloves while Torrecampo wore six-ounce gloves.
Then, in the fight itself, Pacquiao appeared to be hit by a shoulder and a low blow. The referee ultimately waved the fight off, adding the first of what would become three KO setbacks to the Filipino’s record.
While he went on to bounce back and build an illustrious career that not many have come close to matching, Torrecampo had much different fortunes.
After only pocketing around $140 for KOing Pacquiao, according to the Philippine Star, Torrecampo went 2-4-1 across his next seven fights before beginning a 14-year retirement.
During that stint away from the ring, Torrecampo was at one point the subject of a police manhunt after becoming a suspect in a murder case.
While he ran a roadside food stall in 2007, another vehicle collided with his car, spilling the food and the profits. An altercation reportedly broke out, and the driver of the vehicle was found dead with stab wounds.
There was a police warrant for Torrecampo’s arrest for murder, but after no updates about the hunt for the boxer-turned-fugitive, he made a successful boxing comeback in 2011.
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2026-02-09 04:00:00
