Filipino Superstar Pacquiao Pounds Margarito for Eighth Title

Nov. 14, 2010— -- Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao may be a platinum-selling singer and a Philippine politician, but Saturday night he was too much of a boxer for Mexico's Antonio "Tornado" Margarito.

Pacquiao pounded Margarito for 12 rounds, answering every challenge and seeming to gain strength in the late rounds to win his eighth title, the World Boxing Council Super Welterweight belt.

The judges had it 120-108, 118-110 and 119-109.

Pacquiao was dominant early, but got in trouble in the middle rounds, when Margarito was able to drive him against the ropes.

"I never expected him to be that strong," Pacquiao said. "I got hurt to the body and the face when he had me against the ropes."

But "Pacman" was able to fight back, and in the 10th round he stunned Margarito with a combination, and appeared ready to finish him off in the 11th.

By the 12th round, he said, he knew he had it won.

"In the 12th round, I was not looking for the knockout," he said. "I take it easy."

Pacquiao, 31, is a bona fide megastar in the Philippines: In May he was elected to the country's House of Representatives, he has two platinum albums under his belt and has acted in eight feature films.

He proved Saturday night to any of his boxing fans that he hasn't spread himself to thin, and he still has the fire in the ring.

Abandoned by this father, Pacquiao left home as a teenager because his mother didn't have enough money to feed him. At first boxing was just a way to eat. Now he is the biggest star in a sport badly in need of new big stars.

By 2008, Pacquiao had already raked in $40 million and added $35 million the following year. In 2009, Forbes magazine ranked Pacquiao as the sixth-highest-paid athlete in the world.

For Saturday night's fight he was guaranteed $15 million, his biggest payday ever, and could make up to $25 million depending on how well the fight sold on pay-per-view.