MANILA, Philippines – The period from 2000 to 2009 saw Manny Pacquiao’s rise from virtual anonymity to boxing immortality, piling up victories over quality opponents and establishing an unprecedented seven world titles in as many weight classes.

He eventually turned out to be the finest boxer of that period.

Pacquiao on Monday has been voted Fighter of the Decade by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), topping six other boxing stars nominated for the prestigious award.

The Filipino icon bested fellow stars Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Shane Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera for the distinction. He owns victories over the last two.

“Pacquiao, of the Philippines, went 24-1-2 during the decade and won six of his seven world titles while emerging as the pound-for-pound king and a box office sensation,” wrote espn.com’s Dan Rafael.

During the period, Pacquiao won world titles at junior featherweight, featherweight, super featherweight, lightweight, junior welterweight and welterweight. He won his first championship in 1999 at flyweight, making his total title haul at a record seven. He likewise raked in millions of dollars as a major pay-per-view attraction.

Pacquiao was likewise named 2009 Fighter of the Year by the BWAA, edging Vitali Klitschko, Andre Ward, Paul Williams and Arthur Abraham. This marks the third time Pacquiao has won the award, having bagged it in 2006 and 2008.

The Filipino icon got the BWAA’s nod on the strength of his electrifying wins over Ricky Hatton in May and Miguel Cotto in November last year. Pacquiao moved up from lightweight to junior lightweight to beat Hatton, then to welterweight for the Cotto fight.

Meanwhile, trainer Freddie Roach — who helped transform Pacquiao from a raw, free-swinging slugger into a complete fighting machine — will receive his fourth Trainer of the Year award. The bespectacled corner man also clinched the award in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

"Manny and I are a great team and to win this award you need a great fighter," Roach told Rafael from the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao and Roach will receive their awards — specifically called the Sugar Ray Robinson and the Eddie Futch trophies, respectively — on June 11 in New York at the BWAA's 85th annual banquet.