MEXICAN superstar Erik Morales, now done with the strength aspect of his training at the Queretaro Mountains off Mexico City, shifts to speed training as he steps up his buildup for his Jan. 21 rematch with Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Reports coming out of Morales’ training camp revealed that in addition to the already formidable cast of sparmates being drafted by his promoters, one more young gun will be brought in this week to help prepare the Tijuana native develop his speed in order to neutralize Pacquiao’s perceived advantage in that area.
Yesterday, Morales made his last run up the hills of Cristo Rey, the last strength session to be conducted by the Mexican gladiator.
This week, 21-year-old southpaw lightweight Abraham Esquivel, an undefeated prospect who is as tall as Pacquiao, has been tasked to provide Morales a challenge at speed during sparring sessions supervised by trainer Jose Luis Lopez and conditioning coach Raul Robles.
Meanwhile, over at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, Pacquiao continued to keep his cards close to his chest, opting not to reveal specific details of his preparation and only hinting that he is getting the best training as the gym is now free from all distractions from fans and his old management team.
Freddie Roach, according to Pacquiao when interviewed by a leading website, has been very busy devising the right fight strategy to be used against Morales, and that they are working on the plan of keeping Morales on the defensive all throughout their 12-round duel.
Morales beat Pacquiao by unanimous decision in their first meeting last March.
