Julian Rodriguez: Pacquiao?s teenage spar mate fights at MSG in Golovkin ? Geale card
By Rich Mazon
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 26 Jul 2014
Julian Rodriguez.
New York ? The main sparring partner of Manny Pacquiao in his last camp against Timothy Bradley Jr. will be fighting his first fight at the world famous Madison Square Garden which is called ?The Mecca of Boxing? this Saturday night.
Nineteen year-old Julian Rodriguez of Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey will be crossing the Hudson River and he will be facing 39 year-old Yankton Southern (4-5, 4 KO) of Springfield Missouri in a 4 round light welterweight bout in the undercard of the middleweight championship match between Gennady Golovkin and Daniel Geale.
The undefeated (4-0, 3 KOs) Rodriguez, an alternate in the 2012 US Olympic Team, raves about the time he spent sparring and training with Pacquiao earlier this year at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
?I learned a lot from him. It is really hard to put into words. It is more like, how you feel, how you move and how he moves. ?said Rodriguez who admitted that sparring with Pacquiao was a ?great confidence boost? for him.
?I worked on my hand speed and defense during our exchanges and also on my foot work. He definitely taught me some things. Just being in there, you really learn a lot.?
Rodriguez and his other co-spar mates aided Pacquiao in retrieving his old World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight belt from Bradley Jr. in their rematch last April 12 at The MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He also spoke highly of Pacquiao and the superstar?s demeanor outside of the ring.
?Not only did I learn boxing from him, but also as a person. Oh my God, what a great person he is. The most generous guy I have ever met in my life, even outside of boxing. He is just really giving,? described the young boxer who might possibly be called again in the upcoming months to relinquish his role as Pacquiao?s sparring partner when the welterweight champ prepares for his November 23rd fight against challenger, Chris Algieri.
?Nothing is definite yet. But they definitely love the work that I provided for them. His camp mentioned to me plenty of times, that I am the reason that he was in really good shape for that fight. It was great work and it was really back and forth and that is what they needed.?
Rodriguez will be enjoying the support of family and friends who will be travelling from nearby Northern New Jersey to New York City to cheer for him Saturday night at The Garden.
?I am going to have a lot of supporters there so that is always a good source of motivation. I am going to show everyone on Saturday that no matter what my opponent brings, we?ll be ready. ?
You can reach the author at rrmaze24@aol.com and is on Twitter @Freemazon910.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rich Mazon .
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