More than a month before his prized pupil shows up for training, Freddie Roach has already called on a pair of Mexican-American fighters to spar with Manny Pacquiao, including a brawler who knocked out the Filipino’s younger brother Bobby.
"Yeah, the guy who beat up Bobby," said American tr ainer Freddie Roach, referring to the undefeated Urbano Antillon.
Antillon, who has won all his 25 fights, 18 of them by knockout, is best remembered by hard-core fight fans as the crew-cut body puncher who knocked out the younger Pacquiao in less than a round in March last year.
The other fighter being called to show up at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood sometime in the third or fourth week of March is David Rodela.
Pacquiao is set to start training on March 1 for his May 2 clash with British superstar Ricky Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"These guys throw lots of punches like Hatton," said Roach who is expected to bring two more guys in the weeks that will follow.
Rodela has sparred with Pacquiao many times in the past but the addition of the heavy-handed Antillon in training camp could make the workouts even more intense.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao will embark on a whirlwind tour of England in late-February to promote the Hatton bout with Top Rank and Hatton’s promoter Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) making stops in London and Hatton’s hometown of Manchester.
From the United Kingdom, the fighters, members of their teams and the promoters will cross the pond to New York for the kickoff point of the US tour.
Bob Arum’s Top Rank is the lead promoter but the Oscar De La Hoya-owned GBP will also lend a helping hand in the promotional chores.
Source: mb.com.ph
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