"Piolo Pacquiao"? Meet Eman Bacosa, The Rising Boxer Everyone's Crushing On Right Now

There's a new name making rounds in both the boxing world and everyone's FYPs: Eman Bacosa, the 21-year-old boxer who recently stole the spotlight at Thrilla in Manila 2, catching everyone's attention for his uncanny resemblance to the OG Filipino heartthrob.

Eman clinched another victory at the Thrilla in Manila 2 event held at the Araneta Coliseum on October 29, 2025, defeating Nico Salado via unanimous decision (58-55, 58-55, 60-53). The fight was part of a historic boxing night organized by MP Promotions to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the original Thrilla in Manila—the legendary 1975 Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier showdown.

With his win, Eman remains undefeated 7-0, proving that the boxing genes clearly run strong in the Pacquiao family.

ICYDK: Eman is the reported son of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and Joanna Rose Bacosa, a former karaoke television (KTV) receptionist who raised Eman away from the public eye. Eman was born on January 2, 2004. Back in 2006, Joanna filed a child support case claiming Manny was Eman's father, though it was later dismissed due to lack of evidence.

While Manny hasn't publicly confirmed paternity, the two have since been spotted together in training sessions and social media posts. Both Manny and Jinkee Pacquiao even showed up to cheer for Eman at Thrilla in Manila 2.

While his fighting spirit has earned respect from fans and critics alike, what really got the Internet talking was his face card. Shortly after the match, photos and videos of Eman started circulating online, with the internet noticing his striking resemblance to none other than Piolo Pascual.

Soon enough, the comments section turned into a full-on fan club. "Papa P. New Version," one user wrote. Another said, "bali ikaw pala yung bago kong crush 🤣." And just like that, the nickname "Piolo Pacquiao" was born.

Eman's charm has since taken over TikTok and X, where fans have been editing side-by-side photos of him with the leading man. Even TikTok creators like Paul Allen joined in on the fun, posting congratulatory videos and playful thirst traps in his honor, with actress and YouTuber Bea Borres seconding the motion.

"Eman Bacosa, congratulations. Godbless, more power to come. And if you want ng ka-sparring, I'm here lang. I'm free lang. Sabihin mo na lang kayna Tito Manny and Tita Jinkee, I'm here. Congrats,” Paul jokingly said in the video.

Still, behind the hype and memes, Eman stays grounded. In his post-fight interview, he humbly thanked God and his supporters, saying, "Para po sa Panginoong Diyos natin… para po ma-glorify yung pangalan Niya."

Eman started training at just 10 years old. Under his dad's guidance, he's been steadily building his career, competing mostly in local matches across the Philippines while carving his own identity as a boxer—and earning even more admiration as the Internet's beloved "Piolo Pacquiao."