Some battles are harder than the ones in the ring. And sometimes winning such a battle is not possible. Earlier this month, boxing’s only eight-division champion, Manny Pacquiao, came to the aid of his long-time trainer and former WBC International flyweight champion Jonathan Peñalosa Sr. as the latter battled Stage 4 colon cancer. 

The boxing legend urged his fans across the globe to pray for his former trainer, as Peñalosa Sr. was confined to a Bacolod City hospital after undergoing surgery. Despite Pacquiao’s plea and prayers flooding in from the fans, the trainer seems to have lost the fight to colon cancer and passed on at the age of 57, Manny Pacquiao revealed on Instagram hours earlier. 

Manny Pacquiao pays tribute to old friend

46-year-old Manny Pacquiao, who is running for a Senate seat in next month’s national elections, recently shared his visit to Jonathan Peñalosa Sr.’s hospital earlier this month. He posted a series of photos from his visit alongside throwback pictures of the two training together in the Philippines and at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California.

This came after Peñalosa Sr.’s family had appealed for financial support, as the costs of his critical treatment became overwhelming. They had even provided detailed reports outlining all the expenses. Responding to their call, ‘Pac-Man’ made a last-minute effort to help by spreading the word among his vast fan base to gain more support for his former trainer.

Peñalosa Sr. was part of the battery of trainers, part of the Peñalosa boxing clan, who helped Pacquiao train for his numerous fights, including title bouts against Tim Bradley, Jeff Horn, and Lucas Matthysse, and others. Reportedly, the 57-year-old was also part of Pacquiao’s training team when the boxing legend trained for his six-round exhibition match against South Korean martial artist DK Yoo in 2022.

Peñalosa Sr. himself fought on the world level as a pro between 1985 and 1993. He even vied for the WBA flyweight title in 1992, but lost the fight via sixth-round knockout to Yong Kang Kim at the Incheon Indoor gymnasium in South Korea. Boxing seems to run deep in his family, as Peñalosa Sr.’s father, Carl Peñalosa, was a two-time Philippine super-lightweight champion.

His two brothers, Dodie ‘Boy’ Peñalosa and Gerry Peñalosa, were also boxers and had become two-time world champions. The 57-year-old had managed to amass a record of 15-4-1 (7 KOs) during his tenure in the sport and fought the likes of former world champion Chatchai Sasakul and Manny Melchor, ex-OPBF champ Jess Maca, and former world title challenger Emil Romano.

After his unfortunate passing, Manny Pacquiao shared another message with the fans who prayed for Peñalosa Sr.’s recovery. “Rest in peace, Coach Jonathan Peñalosa,” Pacquiao wrote on Instagram while sharing pictures of them together. “You were not just my coach; you became a brother to me in the fight and in life.”

“Thank you so much for all your sacrifices and love for me and my family. We will never forget you. Our prayers are with the Peñalosa family. We will forever miss you, Coach,” Pacquiao added. Since the post, fans from all over have joined the boxing legend in bidding farewell to his long-time trainer and friend. 

Fans come together to say a final goodbye to Jonathan Peñalosa Sr. 

Manny Pacquiao made it clear that Peñalosa Sr. was not just a coach but a close friend, and his passing deeply moved many people. One user shared their own experience working with the late trainer. “Rest in peace, Coach Jonathan, you were always so humble and good to us. Salamat po and god bless you and your family 🙏🏽🫶🏼🇵🇭🥊 🕊️#Teampacquiao LA PI 🤙🏾,” the user wrote. While it’s unclear who else Peñalosa Sr. trained, given his long career as a trainer and his prominence in the Philippine boxing scene, it is likely he worked with other fighters.

Meanwhile, this user reached out to the trainer’s family and Pacquiao. “Rest In Peace! Condolences to his family and friends, and to yourself, Manny! He’s no longer suffering and back with the holy father!🙏🙏🙏,” the user wrote. A statement from Peñalosa Sr.’s family about his death hasn’t been released yet. 

Another user expressed sorrow about his passing. “Super sad 😢 Jonathan was a very bright spot in your corner. Thank you for everything you’ve done—we in the boxing community will miss you,” the user wrote. Peñalosa Sr. contributed the most to Pacquiao’s career during his tenure as a trainer. 

Someone else shared their own experience, as their own family member had struggled with colon cancer. “My uncle died the same way, stage 4 colon cancer 🙁 condolences to the bereaved family,” the user wrote. According to sources, stage 4 colon cancers have a 13-14% survival rate because by this point, the cancer metastasizes to distant organs like the liver or lungs.

The next user seems to have been overwhelmed with grief. “Wow, this made me sad, God rest his soul Champ 🙏,” the user wrote. Many more comments like these have poured in since Pacquiao announced Peñalosa Sr.’s passing. 

That said, Jonathan Peñalosa Sr. might have gone too soon, but his work with Manny Pacquiao will continue to motivate others to achieve greatness in the time to come. Do you have any parting words for the boxing trainer?