'Don’t go into boxing' - Manny Pacquiao tells his 19-year old son

Philippine boxing legend, Manny Pacquiao says he has urged his eldest son to stay out of the ring after the 19-year-old’s foray into fighting made his mother cry. 

Pacquiao, the only fighter to win world titles in eight different weight divisions, said he and his wife have even made a point not to have gloves and equipment at home because he's trying to push his son Emmanuel Jr, who is known as Jimuel, to choose another path.

    “It pains me that he is boxing because I know how hard it is. I told him, ‘Daddy only went into boxing because of poverty… You, you don’t need to box'. But he said: ‘Daddy, like you boxing is my passion also. I want to be a representative of this country as an athlete”, Pacquiao said. 

Pacquiao made the comments after a video of Jimuel sparring during an exhibition match was posted on Facebook.  “His mommy had cried several times telling him, ‘Don’t go into boxing, son’,” Pacquiao said of his wife, Jinkee, who had also urged the 40-year-old boxer to retire.

The younger Pacquiao wouldn’t be the first son of a high-profile boxer to follow dad’s lead. The sons of British boxers Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank, as well as American slugger Joe Frazier became fighters.