By now, everyone’s heard the buzz—Manny Pacquiao is stepping back into the boxing ring! But just when things couldn’t get more exciting, the ‘Pac-Man’ himself dropped an update that cranks the hype up to a whole new level. The recent Hall of Fame inductee just arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday night. Why? 

Well, to begin his training camp for the July 19 title fight against WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios. While an official announcement is imminent, the pair will headline a PBC card in Las Vegas. Joined by his wife Jinkee, longtime assistant coach Buboy Fernandez, and personal assistant David Sisson, and others, the 46-year-old fielded questions from reporters.

Earlier this week, YouTube lit up with videos of Manny Pacquiao already getting down to business—publicly training at a local park in L.A.’s Fairfax District like a true people’s champ. And according to reports, the eight-division legend is sticking with his trusty sidekick and Hall of Fame trainer, Freddie Roach. All this seemed usual as fight night approached.

However, things turned upside down when ES News dropped an interview with ‘Pac-Man’, recorded on Sunday at LAX. As Pacquiao met his son Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr. outside the airport, Elie Seckbach popped the question about the chances of Pacquiao Jr. fighting on the undercard of Pacquiao vs. Barrios.

In a surprising twist, the legendary boxer confirmed that his son will be part of the undercard, stating, “He will fight [on my] undercard.” When Pacquiao Jr. was asked whether he was excited about it, he nodded to say, “Yeah, yeah!” Just like his legendary father, Pacquiao Jr. is learning the art of boxing under the watchful eye of Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.

According to BoxRec, the 24-year-old has an amateur record of 6-4, but some sources even suggest that the number could be as high as 9-5. The super lightweight seems to have been looking for the perfect opportunity to make his professional debut, and his father’s bill is exactly that, as the father-son duo will fight on the same night. 

While that’s great, the question is—what does Pacquiao Jr. think about the age difference between his father and Barrios?

Manny Pacquiao and his son share take on 16-year age difference 

Even though the 46-year-old hasn’t been in a professional boxing match since 2021, the boxing legend remains confident about his abilities. After his arrival at the LA airport, he was asked about the age difference, a concern Pacquiao shrugged off, stating, “Don’t worry about it.” Meanwhile, his legendary trainer Roach has also shared his take on the matter. 

“It’s a tough road for anyone at this age to do what Manny is trying to do. But if anyone can do it, Manny can,” Roach said. Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s son seemed equal parts concerned and supportive. “He has shown us that he stays in shape year-round. So weight is not gonna be a problem, fitness is not gonna be a problem,” Pacquiao Jr. said. 

With that, it appears the boxing world is in for a very special night of boxing, especially fans in the Philippines, as one generation hands over the torch to the next. What are your thoughts on the development?