Emmanuel “Jimuel” Pacquiao Jr. picked up his first professional victory on Saturday (Manila time), stopping American Darrick Gates via second-round knockout at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in California.
The 25-year-old son of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao was in a competitive first round against the 36-year-old Gates, but took control early in the second. A combination ending with a hook dropped Gates to the canvas. The bare-knuckle fighter beat the count and returned to his feet, only to be floored again by a body shot — prompting the referee to wave off the bout.
With the result, Jimuel moves to 1-0-1 in his professional record across the lightweight division. Gates, who has also competed in bare-knuckle boxing, falls to 0-2.
