MANILA, Philippines – The Wild Card gym will be sealed and tightly guarded as Manny Pacquiao begins sparring for his boxing history?s biggest, richest fight.
It will be off limits to almost everybody except those involved in the fight as Team Pacquiao, led by chief trainer Freddie Roach, starts the buildup for the May 2 mega-showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Wary of the other camp?s alleged dirty tricks of ?paying off? potential sparmates, Roach ordered that the gym would be exclusive to the Filipino icon?s handlers and no videos or photos will be taken of the man during workout.
?We can?t have spies in the gym,? said Roach, who has put up extra security in and around his famous Hollywood gym.
For the Chris Algieri fight in Macau last November, Roach had to kick a couple of persons out of the gym, accusing them of working for Team Algieri, taking videos of Pacquiao?s training and showing them to the other side.
?I have a rule in training camp this time that if you aren?t being productive in the gym for training, then you can?t be around. The strategy of this fight is very important and different from past fights,? said Roach. Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Everything is on the line in this fight. But more than the money and the welterweight titles, it?s about the reputation.
?We all know that everybody?s reputation is at stake here. That?s why Freddie said he will be very strict this time,? said Pacquiao?s chief adviser, Mike Koncz.
Pacquiao spars on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The rest of the week, except Sundays, he?s at the gym working on the fight plan.
Mayweather, based on his latest posts on Instagram, had been to a couple of sparring sessions for perhaps just a couple of rounds. The other day he was photographed chopping wood like he?s Rocky.
Training for both superstars should intensify in the next week or two.
Mayweather said he has lined up 10 sparring partners for this camp, including Zab Judah and DeMarcus ?Chop Chop? Corley.
Judah and Corley are both southpaws and two of Mayweather?s victims inside the ring. They are here to try and impersonate Pacquiao.
?We are just working on the game plan and focusing on what Floyd is doing. I know how Floyd sets up people and makes them walk into shots,? said Roach.
Climbing the ring against Pacquiao today are Kenneth Simms Jr. (5-0) and Rashidi Ellis (14-0). They are both 21 years old.
?I wanted to have some young, upcoming fighters as sparring partners for Manny. There are young fighters from Chicago, Massachusetts and Finland who are coming in to spar with Manny.
?Their styles are perfect fits for Manny. They may get knocked out and sent home, but we?ll see. I have all the sparring partners lined up,? Roach added.
