Boxing News writer John MacDonald takes a deep dive into the prospects of Manny Pacquiao Jr, son of eight-weight world champion Manny Pacquiao.
On July 19, Manny Pacquiao will write the latest, and possibly last, chapter of his storied career, as he attempts capture the WBC welterweight title against Mario Barrios, at 46-years-old.
Father Time remains undefeated, and it seems unlikely that even a fighter as great as ‘Pacman’ will be able to defy both the aging process and the odds.
However, even if the Filipino becomes the latest legend to hang up the gloves on the back of a chastening defeat, it appears that his family legacy will continue.
Emmanuel ‘Jimuel’ Pacquiao Jr. has expressed his desire to follow in his father’s footsteps.
The 24-year-old bears a striking resemblance to his dad facially, but that is perhaps where the similarities end.
Manny’s career was born out of necessity, as he and his family lived in abject poverty. He travelled to Manilla to forge a life as a fighter in the hopes of earning enough money to support his mother and five siblings.
He slept rough on the streets and was present when his closest friend, Eugene Barutag, passed away in the ring.
‘Pacman’ was galvanised by hardship. Boxing was not just an option; it was the only one.
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Conversely, ‘Jimuel’ grew up in luxury, the son of one of the richest sportsmen in the world, one who has amassed $575 million in prize money.
He is boxing because he wants to.
Manny was not receptive when his namesake first broached the subject: “I do not approve,” was his initial response, as reported by Alta.
His reservations seem well-founded. During a short amateur career, ‘Jimuel’ won his first seven contests, before losing four-in-a-row. Junior broke his losing streak in April, finishing his speel in the unpaid ranks with an 8-4 record.
Those numbers do not instil confidence that the son will be able to replicate the success of his father.
Ultimately, Pacquiao knew he did no have a choice, he had to relent, otherwise, ‘Jimuel’ could grow to resent him.
Instead, the eight-weight world champion opted to attempt to pass his knowledge on to his heir. Junior has trained alongside his dad at the Wildcard Gym, under the tutelage of Freddie Roach and Marvin Somodio.
Few unheralded amateur boxers gain access to such a distinguished team.
It had been reported than Pacquiao Jr. would make his professional debut on the undercard of his old man’s return. However, things have gone quiet on that front and, at the time of writing, ‘Jimuel’ is not listed to appear on the bill.
If not this weekend, sometime in the future, we will certainly see ‘Jimuel’ lace up the gloves.
In doing so, he will be the latest son of an icon to attempt to emulate the success of their old man; they inevitably fail to do so.
A quick rundown of those who have tried recently confirms as much: while Chris Eubank Jr has had a decent stint as a boxer, he has failed to capture a world title; his rival, Conor Benn hasn’t won a single belt of note, as of yet and last week, Campbell Hatton hung up his gloves after twice falling short at area title level.
Can ‘Jimuel’ be the one to buck the trend, or is he simply the most recent Nepo Baby to earn opportunities and pay cheques based on their surname, opposed to talent? Time will tell.
