Two Pacquiaos on same card?
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 02 Dec 2025
Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao isn’t discounting the possibility of lining up his son Jimuel on the undercard of a coming blockbuster attraction where he’ll fight in the main event. No details are available as to when Pacquiao will return to the ring although there are rumors he’s in talks to face Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in a much-awaited, long-delayed rematch at the Sphere, Las Vegas in April.
MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons is tight-lipped on what’s in store for Pacquiao but says big things are coming up next year. He’s at the forefront of Pacquiao’s venture into boxing promotions in the US, the first of which happened at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, last weekend. Pacquiao is planning a world championship fight in a future promotion and it could involve WBC No. 1 superfeatherweight Mark Magsayo.
Pacquiao’s idea to put Jimuel on his undercard is to supervise his training since they’ll work out together. Now that Jimuel has made his pro debut, Pacquiao says it’s time to level up. Jimuel himself admits fighting in the pros is “way different” from fighting in the amateurs. Pacquiao says Jimuel has to work harder in the gym, make a lot of sacrifices and learn more about the science of boxing. Knowledge is just as critical as sparring and staying in shape.
Jimuel’s pro debut ended in a majority four-round draw with English high school teacher Brendan Lally of Chicago last Saturday. Lally was an amateur fighter in college but after graduation, quit boxing for two years until he got a call to take on Jimuel two months before the bout. Lally and Jimuel locked horns like two bulls in a ring. They went after each other from the opening bell. After the match, Lally called Jimuel a winner and admitted he got smacked hard. It was in the second round when Jimuel’s right uppercut staggered Lally.
Pacquiao says Jimuel could’ve done better and didn’t complain about the decision. Lally didn’t complain either, saying he’s not about to argue with the “most important people” who judged the fight. Lally, however, isn’t pursuing a boxing career as he’s focused on his teaching vocation. He says if Jimuel wants a rematch, there are other and better fighters in Chicago to engage. But his manager says if the rematch is in the Philippines, it’ll be a welcome trip.
The draw was fair. Jimuel landed the cleaner shots in the first round and won it on the three judges scorecards. He took the second convincingly. One judge gave Jimuel the third but the other two saw it for Lally who stepped up his attack and didn’t ease the pressure. Lally continued to be aggressive in the fourth, often pinning Jimuel against the ropes.
“It was a very close fight so we can’t argue with the decision,” said Jimuel’s trainer and cornerman Marvin Somodio. “Kailangan tuloy lang ang training, keep getting more experience from sparring partners. I’m happy with his performance for a fighter with only 10 amateur fights then turned pro. I would rate him an eight out of 10.” Somodio said Jimuel canceled sparring and training last week when he took his partner Carolina to the hospital where she later gave birth to their daughter Clara. “Jimuel is coachable, hard-working and very dedicated,” added Somodio.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
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