Manny Pacquiao named fighter of the year by US writers

Pacquiao was picking up the award for the third time

Five-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao has been named fighter of the year by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

Philippines star Pacquiao's year featured a spectacular second-round knockout of Ricky Hatton and a brutal 12th-round stoppage of Miguel Cotto.

"Tonight I overflow with joy and gratitude. I am thankful that I decided to get into boxing," said Pacquiao.

His coach Freddie Roach was named trainer of the year.

It was the fourth time Roach, who also trains British boxer Amir Khan, had won the award. Pacquiao was picking up the boxer of the year title for the third time.

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"I confronted poverty by trusting God and dreaming big," said Pacquiao, a newly elected congressman in the Philippines.

"I was convinced I could succeed in boxing. The boxing ring could be the breeding ground for my dreams."

Meanwhile, Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum has said that progress continues to be made in negotiating what would be one of the biggest fights in the sport's history with the Filipino taking on unbeaten American Floyd Mayweather.

The two nearly reached an agreement to fight earlier in 2010, but negotiations broke down when Mayweather insisted on Olympic-style drug testing and Pacquiao refused to have blood drawn within 24 days of a fight.

Pacquiao has now relented and agreed to blood testing 14-days prior to any fight - the cut-off point that Mayweather had initially agreed to.

Arum also said he believes the fight, which would likely happen in November, will end up in Las Vegas rather than Cowboys Stadium or another venue that could pack upward of 100,000.

"The key element, if the fight happens, we're finding out now is that Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas is Frank Sinatra times a hundred," said Arum.

"They all are licking their chops for Manny Pacquiao, especially against Floyd Mayweather, because nobody else can bring in the highest of the high-rollers.

"The MGM or Steve Wynn will put up a number over or above the best gate."