While a boxing legend will be making his return to the ring this weekend, his son’s highly-anticipated debut will have to wait a bit longer.
Manny Pacquiao will take on Mario Barrios on Saturday, marking the 46-year-old boxer’s first bout since 2021. An added storyline, at least initially, was that Pacquiao’s son, 24-year-old Jimuel, was also set to make his boxing debut on the undercard of his father’s fight.
However, the elder Pacquiao officially postponed his son’s debut for a later date.
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Here’s why Jimuel Paquiao’s first professional fight was moved by his father and what Manny had to say about it.
MORE: Manny Pacquaio’s full political career timeline
Why was Manny Pacquaio’s son’s fight canceled?
Originally, part of the appeal of Manny Pacquaio’s fight against Barrios, outside of his highly anticipated return, was that it would be a family affair. Jimuel Pacquiao, his 24-year-old son, was expected to find himself on the undercard of the fight in his official boxing debut.
Manny Pacquiao had expressed his doubts over his son’s career, however. In a story with Alta in June, Pacquiao said he told his son “I don’t approve” of his boxing endeavors, but ultimately decided that if Jimuel was going to continue anyway, “I’ll download the secrets of boxing to you.”
So, Manny played a role in getting Jimuel’s pro debut potentially scheduled for July 19 on the undercard of his own fight. Jimuel Pacquiao has had an amateur career and worked with his father’s trainer, Freddie Roach.
Manny Pacquiao even confirmed to reports in May that his son would fight on his undercard, per TalkSport. But it never actually came to fruition, because the legendary boxer postponed it. According to All Out Fighting, “Pac Man” told Covers.com that he decided to move his son’s fight because “it’s hard for me to watch my son fighting before my fight.”
“I want my son to watch my training because right now, the new generation, they don’t know how to punish themselves. I want him to understand what boxing is,” Pacquiao said, per All Out Fighting. “Boxing is his passion, but in reality he started late, but he can pursue his passion for a couple of years. But I told him that, ‘Don’t expect that you’re going to be like your father.'”
With Pacquiao not wanting the distraction of his son’s debut, also wanting his son to continue perfecting his craft before stepping into the ring on a professional stage, Jimuel Pacquiao’s first fight will have to wait.
MORE: Ranking Manny Pacquiao’s nine best fights
When will Manny Pacquiao’s son fight next?
Per All Out Fighting, Pacquiao said he moved his son’s first fight to “September or October.”
So, Jimuel Pacquiao’s debut will not be on July 19 in Las Vegas on the undercard of his father, but likely in the fall of 2025.
Who is Manny Pacquiao’s son?
Pacquiao has five children, three of which are sons. However, it’s the oldest, Emmanuel “Jimuel” Pacquiao Jr., that is pursuing a career in boxing.
The 24-year-old is listed at 6-4 in his amateur career by BoxRec after that career began in 2022, and he’s currently eyeing his professional debut. Jimuel Pacquiao is listed in the super light weight division.
Here’s a look at the younger Pacquiao training earlier in 2025:
Like Father Like son ✅ So awesome to see Jimuel Pacquiao training side by side his dad 8 division world champ Manny in LA as MP prepares for Fight vs Barrios. Jimuel has been in LA since 2021 training 👊🙏💪🇵🇭 pic.twitter.com/QCCGccogzI
— Dyan Castillejo (@DYANCASTILLEJO) May 21, 2025
Jimuel Pacquiao has over 282,000 followers on Instagram and has often shared glimpses of his own boxing journey.
Manny Pacquaio family tree
Here’s a full breakdown of Manny Pacquiao’s family.
Manny Pacquiao wife: Jinkee Pacquiao
Manny Pacquiao has been married to his wife, Jinkee, since 1999. She had a brief political career, serving as vice governor of Sarangani, Mindanao, Philippines from 2013 to 2016. When she first met Manny, Jinkee was a shop assistant.
Manny Pacquiao’s sons: Emmanuel Jr., Michael, Israel
Pacquiao has three sons. His oldest, Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr. or better known as Jimuel, is pursuing a professional boxing career, which was originally set to begin on Saturday on the undercard of his father’s fight.
His middle son, Michael, is a rapper. He was nominated by a Filipino radio station for Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2020.
Pacquiao’s youngest son, Israel, was born in 2014.
Manny Pacquiao daughters: Mary Divine Grace (Princess), Queen Elizabeth (Queenie)
Pacquiao’s oldest daughter, whose full name is Mary Divine Grace Pacquiao, is better known as Princess. She’s been attending Royal Holloway, a university in England, since 2024 and has over 140,000 followers on Instagram.
His youngest daughter, whose full name is Queen Elizabeth Pacquiao, is better known as Queenie. She was born in 2008.
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