Lightweight prospect Brandon McCarthy grew up admiring Manny Pacquiao, and today he is following the Pacquiao blueprint in more ways than one.

McCarthy, 5-0 (1 KO), holds an amateur record of 200-15 and is a 16-time Irish national champion. He thought he was headed toward the 2024 Olympics until a hand injury prevented him from fighting in an Olympic qualifier. Inspired by the likes of Steve Collins, Andy Lee and his Irish amateur boxing teammate Katie Taylor, McCarthy opted to turn pro. He moved to Los Angeles and is now trained by Marvin Somodio, who served at times as an assistant trainer to Freddie Roach for Pacquiao.

“Back in Ireland, Manny Pacquiao was my favorite fighter,” McCarthy told BoxingScene. “My dad would wake me up at 4 in the morning to see him win world titles.”

McCarthy is also training away from his home, not unlike Pacquiao, who would voyage from the Philippines for training camps. McCarthy has now found a home at Wild Card Boxing, the gym made famous by his idol.

At first, McCarthy admits, it took time to get settled.

“Even training at Wild Card is a big deal for me,” McCarthy said. “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.”

For the 26-year-old McCarthy, it is only the next chapter in a years-long odyssey of sacrifice – dating back to his missing events with peers to train for amateur competition. Now he is living far from his home in Kilkenny, Ireland, training out of L.A. (where he has lived two years) and aiming to become a titleholder. When McCarthy gets nostalgic, he visits The Irish Times Pub & Restaurant, which serves Sheppard’s Pie and other treats that remind him of home.

“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.”

McCarthy, who recently signed with Wise Owl Boxing, previously fought in March, defeating Jose Rodriguez via a six-round unanimous decision. He is expected to return in April, with no official date set.

But McCarthy is confident in his next steps, no matter what they may be.

“I didn’t have much of a childhood,” McCarthy said. “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.”

Lucas Ketelle is the author of “Inside the Ropes of Boxing,” a guide for young fighters, a writer for BoxingScene and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. Find him on X at @BigDogLukie.