The chief trainer of Jimuel Pacquiao, son of eight-division legend Manny, believes there is tremendous pressure on the shoulders of his fighter heading into his professional debut on 29 November in the United States.
Marvin Somodio, also a member of the elder Pacquiao’s training team, told DAILY TRIBUNE that “a lot of people have big expectations from Jimuel.”
Jimuel, 24, faces a yet-to-be-named opponent at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California, during the promotional debut of Manny Pacquiao Promotions (MPP) on American soil.
Sean Gibbons, who heads MPP, said that the main event will feature a world title super-bantamweight eliminator starring American Elijah Pierce and Venezuelan Lorenzo Parra.
Jimuel has been training at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood of Hall of Fame strategist Freddie Roach since 2019.
He has also logged a number of amateur wins and has vastly improved since showing up at the Wild Card, according to Somodio, who serves as Roach’s right-hand man at the famed sweat shop on Vine Street.
If victorious, Jimuel will be featured in future shows of MPP, which is lining up five to six more shows in 2026.
Somodio insists Jimuel is special.
“Like his father, Jimuel also loves to train and is very disciplined,” Somodio said.
But most importantly, Jimuel has natural power, he added.