In an unusual twist unlike the past fights, the Wild Card Gym of trainer Freddie Roach is locked down and the lips of Team Pacquiao?s members are sealed.
ABS-CBN?s Dyan Castillejo told the New Standard/boxingmirror.com that Pacquiao again skipped sparring today after his usual morning run at the Pan Pacific Park surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.
We learned that Pacquiao went to the gym but only worked on the punch-mitts and a few of the other routine exercises.
Castillejo reported that Pacquiao, Roach and even Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who was at the gym declined to give interviews. The speculation is that Pacquiao may have over-trained and is feeling the burnout factor which Roach had warned about and there is a deliberate effort to hold Pacquiao back.
Boxingmirror.com also received word that even Mayweather who also has been driving himself like never before, has cut back on his sparring.
Boxing writer David Mayo of MLive who is from Michigan and a friend of Mayweather says whikle Floyd has southpaw sparring partners in his Las Vegas gym they have no fighters who could emulate Pacquiao.
Mayo points out that while Mayweather has fought a number of lefties from 2004-2006 with two of them, former champions Zab Judah and Demarcus ?Chop Chop? Corley now serving as sparring partners, he believes that without them pushing him in ights he wouldn?t be where he is right now. Mayo concedes that Pacquiao ?might hope to create some early confusion and is undoubtedly the most talented left-hander Mayweather has faced, he isn?t the first to try.?
Mayweather faced a number of southpaws during his amateur days and eight more professionals with three of M ayweather?s first nine pro bouts against southpaws resulted in knockouts.
Mayo points out that in 2004 Corley who was the first southpaw Mayweather had fought in some seven years, stung Floyd early in the fight but was dropped twice by Mayweather who went on to dominate Corley and later won decisions over Judah and Robert ?The Ghost? Guerrero.
The boxing writer remarked that Pacquiao ?starts quickly,punches hard, ounches in volume and doesn?t fade.?
When Mayweather was reportedly asked what he expects from Pacquiao, he replied ?I really don?t know.?
