WANTED: SPARRING PARTNERS FOR PACMAN
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 06 Oct 2013
Wanted, a worthy sparring partner for Manny Pacquiao!
At a time when the General Santos City training camp seems to be going on smoothly, the problem of how to maintain the gains achieved after three weeks at the Pacman Wild Card Gym, cropped up after one of the eight-division dancing partners quit after only the first of a three-round of a scheduled sparring last Saturday, while the other, likewise, looks unworthy to give the come backing Filipino hero what he needs.
Local boy Marlon Alta, a big and heavy middleweight, who appeared out-of-shape, turned his back from the power-punching Pacquiao as a sign that he has had enough of the punishment he was receiving barely a minute gone of the second of a scheduled three-round skirmish.
Ghanaian Fredrick Lawson took over from where Alta left but, just the same, was a victim of Pacquiao?s speed as his barrage shots landed on nothing but wind or hitting the gloves.
No less than retired two-division world champion Gerry Penalosa, who watched the training session that day, sounded the alarm signal of the need for the Sarangani Congressman to have a spar mate that could give the Filipino the competitive feeling he lacks after 10 days of inactivity following his sixth round knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez.
?Manny needs a sparring partner at least in the coming few days before Freddie (chief trainer Freddie Roach) arrives on Tuesday,? Penalosa told this writer in a telephone interview.?At kailangan yung fighting style resembles that of Rios (Brandon Rios whom Pacquiao is fighting November 24 in Macau).?
?Nandoon na lahat ng kailangan eh. Na-recover na ang strength, quickness coordination, almost everything,? Penalosa said. ?What Manny needs now is to recapture the feeling of fighting atop the ring na dapat sana ay i-provide ng dancing mate.?
?Sa lakas nga ng suntok ni Manny, umayaw si Alta, hindi nakayanan ang power ni Manny,? Penalosa said. ?Si Lawson naman, ilang beses din na-groggy bawat round at hindi makatama.?
Meanwhile, Philippine junior-welterweight contender Dan Nazareno was to fly in yesterday in GenSan to temporarily play the role left by Alta, who actually took the place of Korean welterweight Min Wook-Kim, the original choice to spar with Pacquiao but failed to arrive as scheduled last week.
As earlier planned, Roach was supposed to bring along a pair of sparring partners when he arrived tomorrow after guiding Miguel Cotto to an impressive TKO victory over Delvin Rodriguez yesterday in Orlando, Florida.
No one in Team Pacquiao knows whether it will be British Liam Vaughan and Korean-based Chinese Lian Hui, who were earlier reported as Roach choices, will accompany the Hall of Fame trainer in his arrival.
Conditioning coach Justin Fortune arrived yesterday and will fly to GenSan today to join the camp.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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