Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach reunited with Manny Pacquiao yesterday in General Santos as the dynamic duo laid the groundwork for the rematch with Tim Bradley scheduled April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Roach arrived in the country Sunday night from Macau and flew to General Santos yesterday morning and they immediately hit it off by going 13 rounds with the punch mitts.
Pacquiao’s buildup steps up a notch today when he kicks off the sparring session against unbeaten US puncher Lydell Rhodes, accoridng to Roach.
Pacquiao, who scored a convincing decision win over Brandon Rios in his last fight in Macau late last year, will probably spar for a few rounds, perhaps three or four, to get the hang of it.
Pacquiao has actually been working out the past two weeks under the watchful eyes of local trainers Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri knowing that Roach will be showing up at the gym after his work with Chinese Olympic legend Zou Shiming in Macau over the weekend.
It could not be determined when exactly Pacquiao and Roach will head to the Wild Card in Hollywood and Roach said they can afford to stay until the third week of March.
“We can do four weeks here and three weeks in Los Angeles and that would be fine,” said Roach after the workout although Top Rank big boss Bob Arum wants them to begin the Wild Card phase of the training by the second week of March to coincide with the showing of the first episode of the HBO 24/7 series.
“But it depends on Manny,” said Roach, who celebrates his 54th birthday on March 5.
If Pacquiao decides to extend his training in General Santos City, Roach said he will bring in another sparmate, veteran Steve Forbes.
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Team Manny Pacquiao is eyeing a four-man sparring group to help the eight-division champion prepare for his coming grudge rematch with World Boxing Organization Timothy Bradley on April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Two of those being eyed are former world belt-owners themselves - ex-International Boxing Federation Steve Forbes lightweight champ and once WBO junior welterweight titleholder Kendall Holt - who, most-likely would join the team when preparations move to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
A third choice, Lydell Rhodes, is already in General Santos City where Pacquiao is currently holding camp under assistant trainers - brothers Buboy Fernandez and Roger "Haplas" Fernandez.
A still unnamed mate will complete the four-member sparring team in the hope of providing the four-division lineal kingpin the needed power, speed and ring savvy he expects to come from Bradley. Rhodes, undefeated so far in 19 fights with 9 KOs, has been observing Pacquiao's training since arriving with the champ's business consultant Michael Koncz Sunday last week.
The sparring portion of the camp, according to Buboy, could start as early as next week when chief trainer Freddie Roach shall have set foot from Macau where he was supposed to supervise Chinese Olympian Zhou Shiming's fight against Thai Yokthong Kokietgym at the Cotai Arena Saturday night.
"Ready na si Manny sa sparring, kahit sa Monday magsimula," Buboy reported following the first two weeks at the Pacman Wild Card seats shop consisting of roadwork every morning and doing the mitts and visiting the heavy bags and bxall in the afternoon.
"Kondisyon na kasi nasu-suplementohan yung roadwork ng basketball sa gabi pagkatapos ng training sa maghapon," Buboy assured. Roach is expected to arrive in Manila today and will immediately take a flight to GenSan this afternoon.
Both the 35-year-old Sarangani Congressman and Roach promised to hand Bradley, who took the 147-pound title from Pacquiao via questionable split decision in 2012, not only his first loss but by a knockout at that.
Holt (28-6 with 15-KOs), Rhodes (19-0 with 9 KOs) and Forbes 35-12 with 11 KOs are reportedly mixers approximating Bradley's fighting style., which the Filipino ring icon needs to accomplish his mission of avenging that 2012 defeat.
Pacquiao, actually suffered a pair of setbacks that year, which he considers the bleakest spot in his otherwise successful and colorful 18-year boxing career counting his devastating KO loss to arch rival Juan Manuel Marquez.
He succeeded his initial comeback fight by overwhelming Brandon Rios in a 12-round unanimous decision November last year, also in Macau.
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