The Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula was the scene of the long-awaited professional debut of Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr, the son of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao. Expectations were high, with the public wondering if the 24-year-old had what it takes to continue the legacy of an eight-division champion. However, the result of his first four-round lightweight fight against fellow debutant Brendan Lally left many with a feeling that he still has a long way to go.
The children of important figures are always going to have extra pressure if they go into the same discipline as their parents, so Manny Pacquiao’s son did not have it easy in his debut and received several questions.
The fight ended in a majority draw (the scorecards were 39-37, 38-38 and 38-38), a result that, while avoiding defeat, highlighted that the young Pacquiao is far from the intensity and experience of his father.
Former champion criticizes the performance of Manny Pacquiao’s son
Former world super featherweight champion Jamel Herring was one of the most outspoken critics of Pacquiao Jr.’s performance. Herring noted that the fight looked unnecessarily difficult for a professional debut and attributed the lack of intensity to the young boxer’s social background.
“It’s one of those moments that really shows why people call boxing the poor man’s sport,” Herring wrote. He explained that fighters who come from extreme poverty develop a “different hunger, that claw and that chip on the shoulder that can’t be taught.”
He doesn’t have that survival instinct of his father
In direct contrast to the young man, Herring recalled that Manny Pacquiao grew up in poverty, sleeping on the streets and fighting for mere survival, an instinct that he says is absent in his son’s debut.
Manny Pacquiao defends his son’s debut
Despite the tense night, Manny Pacquiao was pleased with his son’s effort, albeit cautiously. The Filipino icon admitted to being “full of nerves”, with his heart racing, as he watched the fight.
“He did well for his first fight… he didn’t have much experience as an amateur, so I’m satisfied with this performance,” Pacquiao said.
The Filipino stressed that it was crucial for Emmanuel “to experience a professional fight like that” and admitted that professional boxing is not easy. Looking to the future, the champion assured that he will not stop his son’s career, but was adamant: “He needs to improve his instincts and concentration… I’m going to supervise his training“.
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