Manny Pacquiao’s son has suffered a significant setback in his budding boxing career.
Emmanuel “Jimuel” Pacquiao Jr. was defeated by debuting American boxer Chris Smith in front of a packed crowd on June 25 at the Irish Center in San Francisco, California.
Despite fighting hard throughout the contest, the young fighter was caught against the ropes in the second round, which led to Smith scoring a standing eight-count. Jimuel eventually lost a close decision, which put an end to his undefeated streak after starting his amateur career with a perfect 3-0 record.
Coupled with his father’s initial opposition to his boxing career, Emmanuel has been forced to address criticism for his decision to follow in the family’s pugilism business. He previously stated that the extra scrutiny comes as no surprise given his father’s legacy as the only ever eight-division world champion.
“There’s been juniors also in boxing before, like Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. But then, I guess it’s just the comparing part, you know, people tend to compare a lot,” he said in an episode of ‘Surprise Guest with Pia Arcangel.’
The 21-year-old also revealed that there are some advantages to being Pacquiao’s son, including the opportunity to emulate one of the greatest boxers of all time.
“From him, he had the best footwork, and hand speed. So I try to get that from him. And also the work ethic,” Jimuel said.
“Like from other fighters, too. I try to get bits and pieces and see what works best for me. So that’s how I, you know, try to learn.”
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