From 4am Pacquiao Fights to Las Vegas Lights: Brandon McCarthy’s Journey Continues
The influence of Manny Pacquiao has been a constant thread throughout Brandon McCarthy’s boxing journey—from early mornings in Kilkenny watching world title fights on television, to now training in the same gym as Hall of Fame boxer helped make famous.
The Kilkenny native is now a Wild Card regular and gone from watching the multi-weight world champion in the early hours of the morning on television to rubbing shoulders with him.
Indeed, preparation for his sixth professional bout has included sparring with Emmanuel ‘Jimuel’ Pacquiao Jr.
“Back in Ireland, Manny Pacquiao was my favorite fighter,” McCarthy said. “My dad would wake me up at 4 in the morning to see him win world titles.”
That childhood ritual, watching Pacquiao become a global superstar from humble beginnings in the Philippines, left a lasting impression on McCarthy.
Now, as he prepares to face Renny Viamonte Mastrapa on the undercard of the Caoimhin Agyarko vs Brandon Adams card in Las Vegas, he finds himself living out elements of that same journey—thousands of miles from home, grinding away in pursuit of a world title dream.
IEven training at Wild Card is a big deal for me,” McCarthy admitted. “It was intense when I first went in there because of all the top fighters that had been there. … But it was something I had always dreamed of.”
Surrounded by elite-level talent and steeped in championship history, McCarthy had to quickly adapt—but he now calls it home. Like Pacquiao, who often sparred Dean Byrne and Jamie Kavanagh Freddie Roach’s gym, before him, he has embraced the sacrifice of leaving familiar surroundings behind in order to chase something bigger.
“I know there is going to be a time when I can go back home and make up for all the lost time,” McCarthy said. “Los Angeles is home for the time being. Home away from home.”
Being away from home can be hard, even in the beautiful surrounds of LA, but sacrafice is nothing new to the emerging talent.
“I didn’t have much of a childhood,” adds the 16 time National Champion and former underage amatuer standout. “I knew I always had the talent, and that the hard work would pay off one day. And now I am starting to see some of the results paying off.”
And as he continues his journey, the image of Pacquiao—once a childhood hero on a 4am television screen in Kilkenny—remains the guiding force behind it all.
