PACQUIAO IMPRESSES IN FIRST DAY OF SPARRING
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 18 Mar 2015
LOS ANGELES, Cal. ? It was Manny Pacquiao?s first day of sparring yesterday and the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt-owner celebrated the occasion by strutting his wares with two up-and-coming sparmates and later in the day, hosted an ecumenical dinner to a few friends and followers at his home in Plymouth St. here.
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The 36-year-old Fighter of the Decade impressed chief trainer Freddie Roach and his training team that includes assistant trainers Buboy Fernandez, Roger Fermandez, Nonoy Neri and Marvin Somodio with the way he handled his two young sparring partners, who he ?practically were taught the fine rudiments of fighting.
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Kenneth Simms, an eight-time United States national champion in the amateurs, proved to have approximated the fighting style of Floyd Mayweather Jr., whom Pacquiao is scheduled to fight this coming May 2, although he looked to be slower than the unbeaten World Boxing Council/World Boxing Association 147-pound titlist in his three-round stint with the Filipino.
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Edis Totli, a lightweight from Finland, who owns a 24-1 win-loss record, had a two-round skirmish with the Pacman and appeared faster of the two being smaller although Roach assured they? both can be of much help in preparing the three-time Fighter of the Year or what is dubbed the biggest fight in the history of boxing.
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?Not a bad first day,? Roach said later. ?As I expected, Manny did not dominate any of the two.. Both mates were, obviously sizing up Manny and looked mesmerized having Manny in the opposite side of the ring.?
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?But overall, it, was beautiful performance on a beautiful day,? the 55-year-oild guru assessed.
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??Both fighters are tall and young at 21. They are gifted with power and blazing hand When Manny threw out the first punch it felt like opening day of Irish Spring Training,? joked Hall of Fame trainer Roach.
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??Manny looked so fresh today. I?m very happy with what he showed me. You couldn?t tell he had been away from the ring since the Algieri fight in November. Manny is on fire in the gym.?
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Pacquiao himself agreed he had a good day in sparring, saying: ?My sparring partners gave me good work today. They were perfect for testing the strategy Freddie and I have developed to beat Floyd Mayweather . I was very happy with my stamina and speed today.?
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Later in the evening,?Pacquiao hosted an ecumenical dinner attended by friends, members of his team and several guests at his mansion.
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Among those in attendance were Fr. Marlon Geoff, a Catholic priest and his former spiritual adviser, and Segundo Natividad, a Christian Pastor belonging to Pacquiao?s new religion.
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Suwerte ni Manny ngayong araw, ang daming blessing ang nakuha niya. Naging maayos ang? sparring niya, nakapag-tender pa ng dinner kasama ang dalawang religious leaders na bihirang mangyari,? chorused two members of Team Pacquiao?s?? security group Clement Ascencio and Jimmy Zunio.
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