Eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao has been nominated and approved to receive a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Stars. He joins former jr. middleweight champion Fernando Vargas, who received his star earlier this year, as only the second boxer to achieve the honor since its inception in January 2005. The list of prior recipients is a who's who of some of the biggest entertainers to ever perform in Las Vegas, including Wayne Newton, Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Liberace, and Siegfried & Roy, to name a few.
"Mr. Pacquiao was nominated and this has already been voted on and approved by the majority," stated Ed Swindle, CEO of the Las Vegas Walk of Stars, in a recent interview with the Asian Journal. "Because of the prominence he gives to Las Vegas, he certainly deserves it."
According to the criteria created by the Las Vegas Walk of Stars committee, honorees of the award must have "contributed to the charm, worldwide prominence and name recognition of Las Vegas." More specifically, any athlete who receives it must have "excelled in their respective field of sports and have greatly contributed to the worldwide prominence of Greater Las Vegas." Considering his achievements over the past decade, Manny Pacquiao was the perfect choice to recieve the distinction. Although he hasn't fought in the state of Nevada since November of 2009, his most memorable fights and five of his eight division titles were won in Las Vegas, including bouts against Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Marco Antonio Barrera, and Erik Morales. Next weekend, he makes his return to Sin City for another action-packed and entertaining bout when he faced off against Shane Mosley on May 7th.
Of course, whether or not Pacquiao actually accepts the award remains to be seen, as the committee does require a $20,000 "donation" in order to receive a star to begin with. Still, the fact that he was nominated and approved for the distinction is just another example of just how big of a crossover star he's truly become. The irony is that Floyd Mayweather, who owns a $9.5 million mansion just 10 miles away from the Strip, calls Las Vegas his home and has fought there nearly twice as many times as Pacquiao. The good news for Mayweather is that he's in good company as ten-time world champion Oscar De La Hoya and former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, two fighters who have no doubt brought a considerable amount of income and attention to the city, have yet to receive the honor either. Again, it's another example of just how far Manny Pacquiao has come.