A Pinoy fan arrives at the Wild Card gym on a Harley Davidson motorcycle. Abac CorderoHOLLYWOOD – Manny Pacquiao turned on the heat inside the gym Saturday as the temperature dropped outside.
He sparred for six rounds against Abdulla Amidu and Dave Rodela. He worked so hard. He moved so well. He looked sharp.
Trainer Freddie Roach was so impressed he shortened Joshua Clottey’s lifespan on the ring by a couple more rounds as the March 13 fight at the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas neared.
A month ago, Roach said he’d be happy if Pacquiao wins by decision. Then last Thursday, he said Pacquiao should knock out Cottey inside nine rounds, but he’d be happier if the fight ends right in the opening round.
Thursday, he said Clottey should be gone in six or seven rounds.
“It will not go the distance,” he repeated.
“He’s (Clottey) gonna last (only) six or seven rounds. He’s going to be overwhelmed with the punches. He’s never been attacked like this before,” said Roach after they raised the total number of sparring to 138 rounds.
On Monday, they will wrap it up with another four rounds in the morning, and by noon, members of Team Pacquiao, and an entourage of more than a hundred people, will fly for three hours to Dallas.
Roach said Pacquiao will be there, moving from side to side, throwing punches, and trying to confuse Clottey in the opening rounds. They want to work the body, and by the middle rounds will look for the big one.
“We’re gonna throw him off in the first four rounds,” said Roach.
What he saw yesterday, as Pacquiao sparred, worked the mitts and pummelled the heavy bag, made him even more confident.
“Manny looked so sharp today. I’ve never seen him look sharper. That’s the best I’ve ever seen Manny Pacquiao,” he said.
Pacquiao sparred three rounds with Amidu then worked another three with Rodela who, for the second straight session, went home bleeding from the nose.
The boxer from Oxnard, California, part of the Pacquiao camp over the last few fights, was told to take a rest, and need not show on Monday for the last day of sparring.
Pacquiao has used around 10 sparring partners in this camp, and not one of them managed to keep in stride with the quick, powerful and shifty pound-for-pound champion.
“I thought he was gonna knock David out for a minute but David hung in there,” said Roach.
After the workout, Pacquiao skipped his routine stop at Nat’s, his favorite Thai restaurant, because of a steady drizzle that made it colder than usual. As of presstime, the Hollywood area was under 10.3 degrees Celsius.
It will be colder in Dallas and Pacquiao is just getting hotter.
For more Pacquiao vs Clottey updates, visit http://pacquiao-vs-clottey.cebuspace.com/.
Source: philstar.com
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