THE return of Manny Pacquiao is imminent as boxing’s lone eight-division world champion seeks to end his career in style, but it seems as though he will not be the only Pacquiao on the bill.
Pacquiao, 62-8-2 (39 KOs), hung up the gloves in 2021 after losing out in a challenge for Yordenis Ugas’ WBA welterweight title, but returned for an exhibition against Rukiya Anpo last July, where he was dominated and looked more human than ever.
Yet, at 46 years old, the Filipino southpaw is refusing to walk away and will seek a first professional win this decade when he challenges for the WBC welterweight title against reigning champion Mario Barrios, 29-2-1 (18 KOs), on Saturday, July 19 in Las Vegas.
With an announcement for his comeback expected shortly, Pacquiao arrived in Las Vegas today for the launch press conference, telling ES News that his son, Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr., will make his professional debut on the undercard.
‘He [Pacquiao Jr.] fights on my undercard.’
Although further details may need to be ironed out, Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr. also confirmed his interest in debuting on the card.
‘Yeah, for sure [I would be down for that].’
Pacquiao Jr. has been fighting as an amateur since 2019 and secured a win over Patrick Reyes in Vegas in front of a packed crowd just last month.
At 24 years old, the professional debut of Pacquiao Jr., known as ‘Jimuel’, has been rumoured for a number of months and the proposal of it coming on what could be his father’s final appearance in the ring is one that would be tough to turn down.
Additionally, Brunch Boxing reports that representatives of WBA super-lightweight champion Gary Antuanne Russell, 18-1 (17 KOs), have approached the team of mandatory challenger Andy Hiraoka, 24-0 (19 KOs), with an offer to stage their fight on the Barrios-Pacquiao undercard.
Meanwhile, Tim Tszyu, 25-2 (18 KOs), has confirmed the truth of reports that he will rematch Sebastian Fundora, 22-1-1 (14 KOs), in an attempt to reclaim the WBC super-welterweight crown on what looks set to be a stacked bill in two months’ time.
