Pacquiao’s longtime trainer Freddie Roach has lined up a couple of sparring partners for Pacquiao but he opted not to disclose their names following reports that they have been approached by the opposing camp and offered them better pay in order to dissuade them form working as Pacquiao’s spar mates.
Pacquiao is set to face unbeaten American boxer Floyd Mayweather on May 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada in what appears to be the biggest and richest fight in boxing history.
Aside from the the two young sparmates earlier named by Roach, several unnamed sparmates have been lined up for sparring sessions starting today.
Rashidi Ellis (13-0, 10 KOs) and Kenneth Simms, Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs), named earlier by Roach, are scheduled to spar with Pacquiao in the opening session.
According to Roach both fighters are tall and with great credentials as amateur boxers. Ellis, 21,is from Massachusetts. He stands 5’9″ and undefeated in his pro career while Sims, who hails from Illinois stands 5’10” and likewise undefeated as a professional boxer.
“I decided to get young fighters as sparring mates to push him (Pacquiao) to the limit. Young fighters have better stamina and more aggressive,” Roach told reporters Monday.
Earlier, Roach said some people at Mayweather’s camp have contacted Pacquiao’s potential spar mates and offered them more money for not working with Pacquiao.
“I’m hiring sparring partners, Al Haymon’s people calls them up and offers more money for them not to come,” Roach said. “[But] I’m not worried about those guys,” Roach said.
Now Roach is saying he has found a secret spar mate who is leaving Mayweather’s camp.
“I have a secret sparring partner. He doesn’t want to get beat up or something like that because he’s leaving Mayweather’s camp,” said Roach,
Earlier Roach said he will close his Wild Card Gym during sparring sessions to prevent people from the opposing camp from viewing the activities inside the gym.
