Who is Manny Pacquiao’s son and when will he make his professional boxing debut?

The spotlight in boxing is once again on Manny Pacquiao, though it will not be the Filipino legend stepping into the ring this weekend. Instead, it will be his eldest son, Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr., who is set to make his professional debut.

At 24 years old, and after a spell in amateur boxing, Pacquiao’s son is now ready to face fellow Filipino Brendan Lally in the lightweight division at the Resort Casino. This will be the first fight card his father has promoted in the United States, which adds further significance to the occasion for Emmanuel, known as Jimuel.

“It’s my dad’s first show here in the United States, so it’s going to be good. I’m very excited. It’s also my professional debut, so I’m really looking forward to the day,” he said in the build-up to Saturday’s fight.

For Manny’s son, the weekend marks a double celebration. Alongside the start of his professional career, he has also recently become a father. “We had my first daughter, so that’s on my mind too. I want to get this win and go home to my family,” he added.

Looking ahead to the bout, he acknowledged that learning from an all-time great has given him confidence. “I learned from the best. Boxing is very tough. It requires discipline and consistency. It’s day after day: eat, sleep, train. That’s it.” Even so, he does his best to set the pressure aside.

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“The pressure is there because people like to compare. But I try to shut all that out. I’m my own person and I go at my own pace. I prefer to see it another way because if I think about it that way, it adds more pressure. I have a good team, and we’re taking it one step at a time,” he said.

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