Deontay Wilder has advised Manny Pacquiao's son Emmanuel Jr that he must stay wary of fans expecting him to be better than his father as he begins his amateur career.
Emmanuel Jr is already a major player in the North Hollywood amateur scene, and has drawn big crowds to watch his very early bouts as he develops his skills under the glare of the public spotlight. He was even due to face YouTube star Alex Wassabi last year at the Creator Clash, but the bout was pulled when Wassabi was signed to face KSI instead.
And he spent time with former world heavyweight champion Wilder at the Brickhouse Boxing Club in California yesterday, where he received valuable advice from a veteran of the sport. He has opted to take it slow in his career thus far, taking on small gym shows, but is already a hot commodity at local shows, drawing major crowds.
The pair bantered with journalist Elie Seckbach and coach Malik Scott in a video for ESNews, before Wilder spoke to the youngster about his career, saying: "People have the expectation of the father, but that's an added pressure for that, though. Everyone's going to look to you to fill your father's shoes.
"They're going to look to you to be better, that can be pressure up on you, especially from a country that loves their people and holds their own [in high regard]. My grandma's in the Philippines right now." Pacquiao is currently preparing for his latest bout, headlining a charity show on February 4 in Las Vegas against fellow youngster Marco Rosales.
Do you believe that Emmanuel Pacquiao Jr can become a top boxer like his dad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Pacquiao will headline at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, which is famous for hosting Elvis Presley's lengthy residencies during the end of his career. He has already competed a number of times on smaller events, and is known to draw big crowds who are keen to see the next generation from his family.
Meanwhile, Wilder is training for his next fight, which could be against Andy Ruiz Jr in a WBC title eliminator that could get him back in the ring with Tyson Fury for a fourth time. The governing body have ordered that the pair fight to become the top contender for Fury's world heavyweight title, which Wilder lost to the Brit in 2020.
