In 2010, ahead of his bout at UFC 116 in Las Vegas, Japanese mixed martial artist Yoshihiro "Sexyama" Akiyama expressed profound admiration for Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao. Akiyama highlighted how Pacquiao's performances inspired him, stating, "By watching Pacquiao, I gained a lot of courage…and I want to be like him. And also to show that an Asian fighter can also perform well on a world-class stage."
At UFC 116, Akiyama faced Chris Leben in a middleweight bout that garnered significant attention. The event was headlined by a heavyweight title clash between Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin. Akiyama and Leben delivered a thrilling fight, with Leben securing victory via submission in the third round.
Akiyama's admiration for Pacquiao underscores the Filipino boxer's influence across combat sports, inspiring athletes worldwide to pursue excellence and demonstrate that fighters from Asia can excel on the global stage.
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