ROACH RECRUITS AGGRESSIVE SPARRING PARTNER
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 02 Jun 2008
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach has recruited an aggressive southpaw to strengthen the roster of sparring partners of Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao as he steps up the tempo of his training in preparation for the ?Lethal Combination? showdown against World Boxing Council lightweight champion David Diaz in Las Vegas on June 28.
The new sparring partner is Noel Rodriguez, a 22 year old from Texas who has what his brother, boxing writer Jesse Rodriguez said is a ?respectable? record of 13-2-1 with 5 knockouts in a brief item on 15rounds.com. Earlier reports said it was Juan Rodriguez, a comparative unknown.
Rodriguez who has been described as ?a pressure fighter? who will give Pacquiao a ?left-handed look? is coming off a tough twelve round unanimous decision loss in a North American Boxing Federation light welterweight title bout to highly regarded Francisco Figueroa. Figueroa is a hard-hitting .Puerto Rican champion who was referred to as ?the best kept secret in boxing? by Boxing Times.
Well-known TV boxing analyst Moy Lainez, a member of the original Team Pacquiao told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that he expects Roach and Pacquiao to bring in tougher sparring partners as Pacquiao?s training moves into its final few weeks and the choice of Rodriguez supports that contention. At the same time Lainez said he believes Pacquiao's sparring is being properly programmed by Roach and he expects Pacquiao to beat Diaz because the WBC super featherweight champion is "faster and stronger."
Pacquiao and Diaz thrilled a predominantly Filipino crowd of fights fans from the Bay area who crowded the West Wind Gym in Berkley, San Francisco top catch a glimpse of their idol and the likeable Diaz in a public workout.
Pacquiao worked the punch-mitts with Roach and put on what one onlooker told us was an ?awesome performance.? Pacquiao, as usual, was in high spirits and signed autographs and posed for pictures.
Pacquiao said later ?my fans are very important to me, especially the fans in San Francisco and the Bay Rea. I fight for them and they always support me.?
Diaz was clearly overshadowed in terms of fan adulation but he was always given the respect of a champion and applauded. Diaz repeated what he has often said before ? ?I know most people don?t give me a chance but I know I can do it and my corner knows and that?s all that matters.?
Diaz added, ?people can underestimate me all they want but I don?t think Manny underestimate me. We?ll see next month.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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