Pacquiao wants to ‘hard train’ son Jimuel in boxing ‘passion’

Eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao wants to have a hand in training his eldest son Jimuel in order to let him have a taste of what real boxing is like.

Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee were against Jimuel’s desire to pursue boxing, but the 18-year-old has insisted on following his father’s footsteps.

“Ginagaya niya ‘yung linya ko. Sabi niya, ‘Daddy, boxing is my passion,’” Pacquiao told Mav Gonzales in a report for 24 Oras.

Pacquiao only gave Jimuel tips via FaceTime when he fought Lucas Carson last month, but the senator is starting to think that training his son personally would be a good idea.

“Kung gusto niya i-training ko siya,” he said. “‘Yung hard training talaga para malaman niya, 'Ay ito pala ‘yung boxing. ‘Di pala basta-basta.' So ma-realize niya.”

Pacquiao said they agreed to let Jimuel pursue boxing on the condition that he would still finish his studies. But if he had his way, he would rather have his son never step into the ring.

“In-explain ko sa kanya, sabi ko kaya lang naman nag-boxing ang daddy dahil sa kahirapan,” he said. “Sabi ko okay naman ‘yung buhay ninyo so bakit kailangan pa?”

Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee also discouraged her against her son becoming a professional boxer and was even reduced to tears when they discussed the matter,  but Jimuel held his ground.

“‘You're killing my dreams mommy,’ sabi niyang ganu'n. So sabi ni Jinkee sige. Pero sa loob ni Jinkee, sa puso ni Jinkee ayaw niyang mag-boxing,” Pacquiao  said. —NB, GMA News