Manny Pacquiao, boxing`s only eight-division world champion, is poised for his highly anticipated return to the ring, aiming to cap off his legendary career in significant fashion. This comeback will feature more than just the icon himself, as his son, Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr., is also slated to appear on the fight card.
Pacquiao, holding a professional record of 62-8-2 with 39 knockouts, initially retired in 2021 following a defeat for the WBA welterweight title against Yordenis Ugas. He did participate in an exhibition bout last July against Rukiya Anpo, where he reportedly looked less dominant than in his prime.
Despite being 46 years old, the determined Filipino southpaw is not stepping away just yet. He is actively seeking his first professional victory of the current decade by challenging the reigning WBC welterweight champion, Mario Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs). This significant title fight is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 19, in Las Vegas.
With the official announcement of his return expected shortly, Pacquiao recently arrived in Las Vegas for the preliminary press conference. There, he confirmed to ES News that his son, Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr., will be making his professional boxing debut on the undercard of his own fight. Emmanuel Jr., known as `Jimuel`, is 24 years old and has been active in the amateur ranks since 2019, including a recent win in Las Vegas just last month. Jimuel also expressed his eagerness to debut on the card, particularly given the potential significance of the event as his father`s final ring appearance.
The undercard for this event is shaping up to be quite impressive. Reports indicate that representatives for WBA super-lightweight champion Gary Antuanne Russell (18-1, 17 KOs) have initiated discussions with the team of mandatory challenger Andy Hiraoka (24-0, 19 KOs) about staging their title fight on the Barrios-Pacquiao bill. Furthermore, Tim Tszyu (25-2, 18 KOs) has confirmed that he will face Sebastian Fundora (22-1-1, 14 KOs) in a rematch aimed at reclaiming the WBC super-welterweight championship. These additions suggest the July event is building into a deeply stacked night of boxing.