ABSCBNNews.com delivered the great news this afternoon:

People’s Champion Manny Pacquiao retained his World Boxing Council International super-featherweight crown by demolishing Mexican challenger Jorge “Coloradito” Solis in the 8th round of their 12-rounder Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

The 28-year-old Pacquiao, whose record now stands at 44-3-2 with 34 knockouts, schooled Solis by giving him his first loss in 33 fights.

Pacquiao decked Solis once in the 6th round. This was followed by two knockdowns in the 8th. At this point, referee Vic Drakulich stopped the fight 1:16 into the 8th round.

Solis used his longer reach early in the fight, bobbing and weaving to escape Pacquiao’s stinging left.

An accidental headbutt took place in the sixth, creating a deep wound at Pacquiao’s left eyebrow. This prompted the Filipino champ to press on.

The hard-hitting southpaw had just come off a third-round victory over Mexican boxing legend Erik Morales in November last year before facing Solis.

Pacquiao, who was named Fighter of the Year for 2006 by the Boxing Writers Association of America and by The Ring magazine, has lost only one fight in his last 21: a close points decision to Morales in their first meeting in 2005.

In the undercards, Mexican Edgar Sosa edged Filipino Brian Viloria in a majority decision to win the WBC light flyweight championship.

Viloria’s defeat came following the triumph of Filipino boxer Bernabe Concepcion against Texas-based Mexican Benjamin Flores to retain his WBC youth super bantamweight crown.

Pacman gets kudos

President Arroyo on Sunday congratulated Manny Pacquiao and called on the ring icon and other Filipinos to keep up the fight for excellence and to conquer poverty and injustice.

“We must keep up the fight and win in all fronts– in physical prowess, in the excellence of our skills, in the will to overcome the foes of poverty and injustice,” Mrs. Arroyo said following Pacquiao’s 8th round knockout of Solis.

The President added: Manny stands for the dream of every Filipino in the ring of life and the arena of the future. I thank God for the blessings of life and victory dawning upon us each passing day in our struggleto overcome all odds.”

Mabuhay si Manny! This is the best campaign any congressional candidate could get. Vote for Manny hehehe!

Photo Credit: www.mannypacquiao.ph and Philboxing.com.