PACQUIAO'S JAPANESE SPARRING PARTNER SENT HOME
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 06 Nov 2013
Manny Pacquiao's Japanese sparring partner, OPBF super lightweight champion Keita Obara has been sent home after going two rounds with the "Fighter of the Decade" last Saturday at the Pacman Wild Card Gym in General Santos City.
Pacquiao's adviser Michael Koncz explained that "his style did not suit our purpose."
At the same time he said 21 year old Pan Asian Boxing Association welterweight champion Teerachai Kratingdaenggym who is ranked No. 12 in the world by the WBA is not being added to the roster of Pacquiao's sparring partners because "we are fine with the two sparring partners we have - Liam Vaughan and Dan Nazareno.
Obara was much taller than Pacquiao at 5?10? and had a record of 10-1 with 8 knockouts and was regarded as a solid puncher.
He won the title in a rematch with Hayato Hokazono last April 18, scoring a 4th round knockout after losing in their first encounter by an 8th round TKO on November 14, 2012. In his last title defense Obara won by a 3rd round knockout over So Takenaka.
Koncz also told the Manila Standard that Pacquiao sparred 7 rounds on Tuesday with Filipino welterweight Dan Nazareno and British light middleweight Liam Vaughan and that Manny "looked great."
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