The active legend of world boxing, Manny Pacquiao, is preparing for his glorious return to the ring, where at 46 years of age he will fight for a world title on July 19 in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, the boxing world will not only see the eight-time world champion in action, but possibly the birth of the “Pacquiao Dynasty”.
In his athletic preparation, carried out in the city of Los Angeles, California, the Filipino fighter was sincere in talking about his son Jimuel’s transition to professional boxing, who will be part of the preliminary fights on the undercard of his return. On the card, “Pac-Man” will face American fighter Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight belt, but the “family evening” will feature 24-year-old Jimuel, Pacquiao’s son, making his professional boxing debut on the undercard of his father’s fight.
Jimuel Pacquiao’s time in amateur boxing
Jimuel (whose real name is Emmanuel) amassed a 6-4 amateur boxing record, but after an unbeaten 6-0 run, he went on to lose four consecutive fights. Therefore, Manny had doubts about whether his son was really cut out for the world of hooks and uppers. Manny Pacquiao admitted openly that his son had boxing dreams. “I don’t approve of it,” Manny is quoted as telling his son about his professional boxing aspirations. However, Jimuel was persistent, which eventually convinced Manny enough to allow him to be part of his next camp for the fight against Barrios.
The father-son concern for the July 19 fight is not limited to Manny’s concern for Jimuel. In an interview with FightHype on May 18, Jimuel opened up about his concern for his 46-year-old father’s fight.“Okay, I’ll download the secrets of boxing to you,” Manny told his son Jimuel.
Jimuel’s response to his father’s concern
“It’s logical,” Jimuel said of people’s concern about his father’s fight against Barrios. “He’s 46 years old. And even me, as his son, I love him, he’s my father. There’s also concern about that, you know? But I believe in him. He’s shown us that he stays fit all year round and all that. So the weight and fitness won’t be a problem,” he added.
More than 20 years of experience in the ring and a successful track record are sufficient elements to give an opinion about the new prospects in boxing, even if it is his own son. Only time will tell if Pacquiao’s concerns are justified, but we won’t know until July 19.
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