Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao will start training Saturday in the Philippines for a seven-week intensive training camp to prepare for the first defense of his World Boxing Organization welterweight title on March 13 in Dallas, Texas.
Pacquiao wanted to go the gym on Friday but his world-renowned trainer Freddie Roach told him to take the day off and get fully rested for the tough grind ahead.
Roach said Pacquiao’s main sparring partner would be Amir Khan, World Boxing Association junior welter champion, who is also trains under him at the Wild Card Gym on Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
“I think seven weeks is good for this camp,” Roach said, noting that Pacquiao is coming off a November 14 title fight to win his record seventh world title from Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Arena.
For the Clottey fight, Pacquiao will be in a unique position of launching the modern Dallas Cowboys Stadium as a destination for big boxing fights.
Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones said he hopes to stage “four to five big boxing events” every year at his $1.2-billion sport arena.
Roach thinks Clottey is a more difficult fight than Miguel Cotto because he is tough and has never been stopped before.
“We’re going to be ready to go 12 hard rounds because [Clottey] is a big, strong guy. He’s never been knocked out before,” said Roach, a three-time Trainer of the Year.
Still, Roach said he is confident they would find a way to break the Ghanian slugger down and possibly take him out in the later rounds.
“He has a passive defense and lets his body wide open for a while when he puts his hands up high like that,” said Roach.
At the end of the day, Roach said Pacquiao’s speed and power would be crucial to PacMan retaining his title.
Roach said Pacquiao’s main sparring partner would be Amir Khan, World Boxing Association junior welter champion, who is also trains under him at the Wild Card Gym on Vine Street in Hollywood, California.
“I think seven weeks is good for this camp,” Roach said, noting that Pacquiao is coming off a November 14 title fight to win his record seventh world title from Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Arena.
For the Clottey fight, Pacquiao will be in a unique position of launching the modern Dallas Cowboys Stadium as a destination for big boxing fights.
Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones said he hopes to stage “four to five big boxing events” every year at his $1.2-billion sport arena.
Roach thinks Clottey is a more difficult fight than Miguel Cotto because he is tough and has never been stopped before.
“We’re going to be ready to go 12 hard rounds because [Clottey] is a big, strong guy. He’s never been knocked out before,” said Roach, a three-time Trainer of the Year.
Still, Roach said he is confident they would find a way to break the Ghanian slugger down and possibly take him out in the later rounds.
“He has a passive defense and lets his body wide open for a while when he puts his hands up high like that,” said Roach.
At the end of the day, Roach said Pacquiao’s speed and power would be crucial to PacMan retaining his title.
Source: manilatimes.net
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