Philippine boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao says he has urged his eldest
son to stay out of the ring after the 19-year-old’s foray into fighting
made his mother cry.
Pacquiao, the only fighter to win world titles in eight different
weight divisions, said he and his wife have even made a point not to
have gloves and equipment at home because he’s trying to push his son
Emmanuel Jr, who is known as Jimuel, to choose another path.
“It pains me that he is boxing because I know how hard it is. I told
him, ‘Daddy only went into boxing because of poverty… You, you don’t
need to box’. But he said: ‘Daddy, like you boxing is my passion also. I
want to be a representative of this country as an athlete”, Pacquiao
said.
Pacquiao made the comments after a video of Jimuel sparring during an
exhibition match was posted on Facebook. “His mommy had cried several
times telling him, ‘Don’t go into boxing, son’,” Pacquiao said of his
wife, Jinkee, who had also urged the 40-year-old boxer to retire.
The younger Pacquiao wouldn’t be the first son of a high-profile
boxer to follow dad’s lead. The sons of British boxers Nigel Benn and
Chris Eubank, as well as American slugger Joe Frazier became fighters.