| |
|
MARQUEZ RECRUITS JAPANESE SPARRING PARTNER
By Ronnie Nathanielsz PhilBoxing.com Wed, 06 Feb 2008

WBC super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez has recruited Japanese super lightweight Norio Kimura as one of his sparring partners in preparation his March 15 rematch with Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Well-known journalist James Blears who resides in Mexico City told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Kimura also ?happens to be a southpaw? like Pacquiao and is ranked No. 7 by the WBC.
Kimura who won the Japanese light welterweight title with a unanimous ten round decision over Shingo Eguchi on April 3, 2004 has successfully defebded the title eleven times and sports a ring record of 33-5-2 with 17 knockouts. He is 29 years old and stands 5?7 ?? tall.
Blears said the Marquez camp had brought in Kimura who once served as a sparring partner for Erik ?El Terrible? Morales because the plan to bring in ageing Freddie Norwood ?hasn?t yet seem to have been developed.?
Blears had earlier reported that Marquez was training hard and looked in great shape and that Pacquiao would have to stay focused in training if he wished to erase the memory of a controversial draw in their first encounter in May 2004.
In that fight Pacquiao dropped Marquez three times in the very first round but couldn?t put the Mexican away enabling Marquez to counter-punch his way to salvage a draw.
Pacquiao has said he believes the judges made a mistake and planned to settle some ?Unfinished Business? with Marquez on March 15.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Manny Pacquiao Promotions Announces Additional Matchups for Saturday, February 28 Event at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York , Fri, 30 Jan 2026SWERVE TV STRIKES MULTI-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS TO EXPAND PREMIUM BOXING CONTENT , Fri, 30 Jan 2026Leuenbergers to join IRONMAN® 70.3 Davao By Lito delos Reyes, , Fri, 30 Jan 2026Open Workout: Xander Zayas and Abass Baraou Prepare For Saturday's Unification Showdown in Puerto Rico , Thu, 29 Jan 2026Cabrera-Zapata Kicks Off All Star Boxing's 2026 Season , Thu, 29 Jan 2026Manny Pacquiao Chess Philippines: Cash prizes, FIDE rating at stakes this Sunday By Marlon Bernardino, , Thu, 29 Jan 2026IBP Fun Run & Family Day on February 15 By Lito delos Reyes, , Thu, 29 Jan 2026TEOFIMO LOPEZ AND SHAKUR STEVENSON FACE-OFF AT KNICKS GAME AS COUNTDOWN TO ‘THE RING 6’ ON SATURDAY BEGINS , Wed, 28 Jan 2026Davao to sponsor P500K in IRONMAN 70.3 By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 28 Jan 2026JOSH KELLY SOUNDS WARNING TO WORLD TITLE RIVAL BAKHRAM MURTAZALIEV AS HE TARGETS HISTORIC NORTH EAST HOMECOMING , Wed, 28 Jan 2026Gallegos and Alvarez Shine Bright with Knockout Wins at Fontainebleau Las Vegas , Wed, 28 Jan 2026Pedro Carrasco Remembered in Spain 25 Years After His Passing By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Wed, 28 Jan 2026Gensan Outdoor, Gensan Educator support MFPI 5th Mindanao Summit in Mt. Apo By Lito delos Reyes, , Wed, 28 Jan 2026Vitor vs Subkhankulov, Tapales vs Kalsynov in Double IBF Asia Title Fights in Moscow on Feb. 13 By Dong Secuya, , Tue, 27 Jan 2026“It’s about owning my own journey” Jeanine Brown retuns for Title Clash March 13 – Thunderdome 53 , Tue, 27 Jan 2026Long Boxing Journey settles in New Bedford, MA for Junior Featherweight prospect Joshua Alvarado , Tue, 27 Jan 2026Steph Curry is 19th leading scorer of the NBA By Gabriel F. Cordero, , Tue, 27 Jan 2026Ocum is WBC Asian lightweight champ By Lito delos Reyes, , Tue, 27 Jan 2026Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh Believes he will stop Jarrell Miller this Saturday at Madison Square Garden , Tue, 27 Jan 2026David Ray Sarmiento finishes second place in Cologne January Blitz 2026. By Marlon Bernardino, , Tue, 27 Jan 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 25 JANUARY 2026: Raymund Muratalla Edges Andy Cruz; Walsh Outpoints Ocampo By Eric Armit, , Mon, 26 Jan 2026MFPI 5th Mindanao Summit at Mt. Apo on February 19-22 By Lito delos Reyes, , Mon, 26 Jan 2026OLYMPIC BOXING 8: 1948 OLYMPICS AT LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM By Maloney L. Samaco, , Mon, 26 Jan 2026Golden Gloves Launches on Meta Quest Store, Establishing the First Official Esports Competition Pathway for Amateur Boxing , Mon, 26 Jan 2026Andy Cruz vs Raymond Muratalla: Who Will Execute? By Chris Carlson, , Sat, 24 Jan 2026 |

|
|
|
|
|