Manny Pacquiao delivers knockout speech at Oxford, Cambridge

We can say that “People’s Champ” Manny Pacquiao might have been a school drop-out because of financial constraint. However, this was not the reason that hindered the Filipino politician to speak in front of two of the most prestigious universities in the world.

Recently, the “World Boxing Champion” spoke before the students of the Oxford Union and the University of Cambridge on November 5 and November 6 respectively.

Pacquiao delivered an inspiring speech. He proudly shared these esteemed students the story of his life in what he referred to as his education in the “Open University of Life.”

“The answer came fast: I know what I should speak about, something very few among you can claim to know about: my education, certainly non-traditional, non-formal, largely unstructured. I will call it my education in the Open University of Life.”

Aside from that, Pacquiao also remembered his rags-to-riches story to the audience. He even narrated that he quit school and tried his luck in boxing. However, Pacquiao still continued to pursue his education and successfully finished high school in 2007 through the Department of Education’s Alternative Learning System. 

“I am a fighter, not just because it is my profession. I was a fighter long before I first set foot in a boxing ring. All my life I have fought to live. Every single day in my youth, I fought for survival. Now, I do it and get paid for it. Then, I was lucky to get a piece of bread for it.”

In the end, Pacquiao left an important message to all the Oxford students. He emphasized the importance of chasing our dreams. Pacquiao said that hard work and persistence will set us free from the shackles of poverty.

“That is Manny Pacquiao’s story so I ask you — all of you — to never lose faith in what you can do as a human being, belief in the loyalty of family, and belief in the Almighty. It is not easy to believe in the power of one. But I ask you to look around you. Count the faces. Do the multiplication and suddenly we are a power of 50 or 100 or 1,000.”

Watch his speech below: