 |
| Jimuel Pacquiao connects on a right hook to Brendan Lally. Jhay Otamias |
MANILA--Jimuel Pacquiao managed to stay away from an early defeat in his pro boxing career by settling for a draw with fellow debutant Brandon Lally on Sunday (Philippine Time) at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California.
With his parents, former eight-division world champion Manny and Jinkee, watching at the sidelines, the 24-year-old second-generation boxer showed glimpses of what fans could see more of from him, delivering solid shots that staggered his American opponent in Round 2.
However, Lally's aggression kept Pacquiao in defensive mode for most of the second half, and it seemed like the former may have done enough to steal the win.
Despite Lally's efforts, Damian Walton thought Pacquiao was winning with a 39-37, while the other two judges, Alejandro Rochin and Ron Scott Stevens, had it 38-38 for the majority draw.
"I'm satisfied with his performance, although we're expecting more. But it's a good experience for him that he experienced a professional fight like that," Manny Pacquiao said about how his son fared in the match.
"Next time, I'm definitely pushing it harder," added Jimuel.
The Jimuel Pacquiao-Brendan Lally bout was part of MP Promotions' first fight card in the United States.
