Manny Pacquiao named fighter of the decade by Boxing Writers Assn. of America

By Austin Knoblauch in latimesblogs.latimes.com

Manny Pacquiao was named fighter of the decade by the Boxing Writers Assn. of America on Monday. In addition, the group also honored him as its fighter of the year for the third time.

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs), who captured a record-setting seventh weight division title last November, will defend his WBO belt against Joshua Clottey on March 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, won the association’s Eddie Futch Award for a record fourth time. Futch once served as Roach’s trainer.

The group also declared Juan Manuel Marquez’s ninth-round knockout of Juan Diaz on Feb. 28 as its fight of the year.

Each of the award recipients will be honored during a dinner in New York on June 11.

Photo: Freddie Roach, left, and Manny Pacquiao. Credit: Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images