While in Macau, China for Zou Shiming’s title fight, Roach learned that Pacquiao’s potential spar mates were approached by Mayweather’s camp offering them more for their services in order to dissuade them from signing up with Pacquiao’s camp.
“I’m hiring sparring partners, Al Haymon’s people call them up and offer more money for them not to come,”[url=http://.philwwwstar.com/sports/2015/03/05/1430308/roach-accuses-mayweather-camp-blocking-sparring-partners t=_blank] Roach said.
Roach must have signed up at least two sparring partners upon his return to Los Angeles from China but opted not to divulge their names. Pacquiao said they will start next week.
“My sparring sessions will start next week. Coach Freddie had already hired two tough guys who can help me in my preparation,” Pacquiao bared.
“I don’t have their names. But even if I knew them, I will not reveal their identity. They might be offered money again,” Pacquiao said laughing,
Earlier, two names have been mentioned as Pacquiao’s spar mates including welterweight Rashid Ellis and lightweight Kenneth Sims, Jr. Pacquiao did not say if they are the two spar mates Roach had chosen.
Roach said the Gym will be off limit to outsiders during sparring sessions to make sure that his strategy will remain secret.
“Media-wise, they can’t come until sparring is over and the mitts are over because those are both strategies. Nobody is gonna get my strategy unless I want them to. We’re locking down the Wild Card entirely,” he said.
Obviously, Roach has prepared a foolproof plan for the Mayweather fight, making sure that nobody gets a preview of what he has prepared for Mayweather on fight night.
It is understandable that Mayweather’s camp will do anything possible to gather as much information they could to preempt Roach’s fight plan. A well-planned counter attack will do the trick to foil Pacquiao’s assault and without the correct information, Mayweather will not be able to put up a good defense.
Roach knows that his duly-designated spar mates will be privy to his fight plan for Pacquiao and it is for that reason that he is very much concerned about intrusions coming from the opposite camp.
The Hall of Fame trainer may have thought that spar mates are vulnerable when they are offered life-changing amount of money which is why he is concerned about precautions and security.
