Manny Pacquiao’s comeback fight is a family affair.
The eight-weight world champion and recent Hall of Fame inductee is set to return to the ring in July to challenge Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight title with his son, Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr, on the undercard.
Emmanuel is currently learning his trade under the watchful eye of his father’s legendary trainer, Freddie Roach, at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
The 24-year-old is listed as 6-4 as an amateur on BoxRec, although his full record is thought to be closer to 9-5.
The young super lightweight has been eyeing a pro debut for several months, and he has been presented with the perfect stage to do it on in the form of his father’s bill.
“He [Pacquiao Jr] fights on my undercard,” Pacquiao told a group of reporters as he arrived at Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport on Sunday night.
Pacquiao‘s comeback fight with Barrios has yet to be officially confirmed, although reports suggest the bout will take place on July 19 in Las Vegas.
The WBC’s decision to sanction the fight has been met with considerable backlash given the 17-year age gap between the two combatants.
Pacquiao is 46-years-old and hasn’t boxed professionally since losing on points to Yordenis Ugas in August 2021.
Meanwhile, Barrios is in his athletic prime at 29 and has fought five times since ‘Pacman’s’ last outing.
Barrios defeated Ugas in September 2023 for the WBC interim welterweight title and was subsequently upgraded to full world champion last May when Terence Crawford relinquished the belt to move up to super welterweight.
He retained his belt last November when he was held to a draw by Abel Ramos on the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson undercard.
Instagram - Freddie RoachPacquiao Jr trains with his dad’s old coach and will feature on the undercard[/caption]Four months prior to Barrios’ last outing, Pacquiao got battered from pillar to post in an exhibition bout with Japanese kickboxer Ruikya Anpo.
The Filipino icon’s dismal display led to calls for him to never fight again.
But after receiving a No.5 rank at 147lbs from the WBC last week, Pacquiao is now cleared to fight for their version of the welterweight world title.
The decision didn’t go down well with talkSPORT’s Spencer Oliver, who bashed Pacquiao’s comeback live on air earlier this month.
“Pacquiao looked a shell of his former self in his last fight against Ugas,” said the former European champion.
“He has had a long career and turned pro in 1995, he’s a great but he’s coming back now.
Pacquiao will face WBC welterweight champion, BarriosGETTY“But the biggest disgrace of this is that the WBC are sanctioning the fight for a world title, which is just wrong.
“I think it’s a young man’s sport, the inactivity and way her performed in his last fight. I don’t like it.
“Let’s just leave it there. But the governing bodies should only sanction fights if they are in the top fifteen.
“He’s been retired for four years so how does that warrant him jumping the queue and fighting Barrios?
“It’s wrong in so many ways. The system is broken with the WBC allowing that to happen.”
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