BOBBY PACQUIAO BEGINS SPARRING AT WILD CARD GYM
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 24 Apr 2007
Bobby Pacquiao has begun sparring at the Wild Card Gym of celebrated, two-time ?Trainer of the Year? Freddie Roach following his return to Los Angeles from Las Vegas.
A spokesman for Manny Pacquiao, journalist Winchell Campos told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today in an overseas telephone conversation that Pacquiao sparred two rounds with a fighter being handled by Sugar Shane Mosley and did alright.
The younger brother of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao had earlier been taken to Las Vegas by Michael Koncz who was reportedly tasked to look after the fighter. However, Bobby Pacquiao refused to train at the Top Rank Gym in preparation for his fight against WBC No. 2 super featherweight Humberto Soto who is handled by Arum and after an argument with Koncz insisted on returning to LA.
Apparently Koncz who serves as the eyes and ears of Arum had no choice but to drive the younger Pacquiao back to Los Angeles where he began working out under Roach?s assistant and conditioning expert Justin Fortune.
Fortune and Roach are still together and will continue to train Manny Pacquiao although Fortune has indicated he will branch out on his own fairly soon.
Most boxing people believe that Soto (41-5-2, 25 KO?s) would be too good and too strong for Pacquiao (27-12-3, 12 KO?s)when they clash at New York?s famed Madison Square Garden and that an impressive Soto victory may set the stage for a battle with Manny Pacquiao with the obvious theme of Pacquiao wanting to avenge his younger brother?s defeat.
However, there are a few Pacquiao diehards who believe that a well-trained Bobby Pacquiao who had stunning upsets over former world champions Carlos ?Famoso? Hernandez and a fourth round KO over Kevin Kelley was capable of surprising Soto.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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