PACQUIAO BEGINS TRAINING, ROACH HIRES TWO LIGHT MIDDLEWEIGHTS AND ONE WELTERWEIGHT AS PACQUIAO'S SPARRING PARTNERS
By Dong Secuya
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 18 Sep 2008
LOS ANGELES -- Filipino boxing superstar Manny 'Pacman' Pacquiao has began training Wednesday afternoon (Thursday morning in Manila) at the famed Wildcard Gym of Freddie Roach in Los Angeles embarking to what he termed as the 'greatest fight of his life' when he faces boxing's golden boy and one of the most popular boxers in decades Mexican-American Oscar de la Hoya at the MGM Grand Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada on Dec 6.
The Wildcard Gym, located in the heart of Hollywood along Vine St., was teeming with people all morning but as soon as the Filipino phenom arrived past two o'clock in the afternoon, the gym was cleared to give way to what would probably be the longest and the one most intently watched and covered training camp of Pacquiao since he trailbazed America in 2001.
Two time trainer of the year and future hall-of-famer Freddie Roach, along with trusted lieutenants Buboy Fernandez, Nonoy Neri, Roger Fernandez, Eric Brown and chief aide Winchell Campos and official photographer Miguel Salazar were present to assist Pacquiao in his every move. This afternoon's training, postponed from the day before because Pacquiao was not feeling well, was very light as he did the mitts with Freddie Roach, the speed bag and shadow boxing.
The general mood in Pacquiao's first day of training was light as Manny joked around and was talking to everyone while he did his routine.
TWO LIGHT MIDDLEWEIGHTS AND ONE WELTERWEIGHT HIRED AS PACQUIAO'S SPARRING PARTNERS
Roach said that Pacquiao, who now weights 147 lbs according to Neri with 80 days remaining before fight time, will do conditioning workouts for 10 days and begin light sparring right after.
Roach, who will most likely devise a strategy to neutralize De La Hoya's most dangerous weapon, his poweful left hook, hired two 154-pounders in Yuri Foreman (5'-11", 25-0 8KOs) and Arron Robinson (5'-10", 6-2-0 4KOs) and one welterweight (147 lbs) in Rashad Holloway (5'-11", 9-1-0 5KOs).
"They have all powerful left hooks," Roach said when asked what's so special with the three. Asked further if he was not worried of De La Hoya's right, Roach's quick reply was "he (De La Hoya) has no right. He has a jab but no right."
This was echoed by Holloway, who was also present. "My best weapon is my left hook and I'm raring to use it against Manny when I begin to spar with him," the well-built Raleigh, North Carolina native said.
Top photo: Manny Pacquiao (R) throws a right jab at trainer Freddie Roach during Pacquiao's first day of training at the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles in preparation for his fight against Oscar de la Hoya on Dec 6 at MGM Grand & Casino in Las Vegas. Photo by Miguel Salazar / MP Promotions.
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