MEXICAN icon Marco Antonio Barrera is hell-bent on settling the score with Manny Pacquiao.
Sources from Japan told BusinessMirror that Barrera has instructed his long-time Japanese friend Sendai Tanaka to look for a sparring partner capable of simulating the fighting style of Pacquiao.
“They are offering good money just to get someone who fights like Manny. That shows Barrera is serious in exacting revenge against Pacquiao,” said a Filipino boxing trainer based in Japan, who refused to be named.
So far, Tanaka has signed up two undefeated Japanese fighters who agreed to work as sparring partners for Barrera.
First to agree is Takahiro Aoh, a 23-year-old southpaw featherweight with a record of 15-0, eight by knockout.
According to the source, Aoh possesses good lateral movement apart from having good timing in shifting his head and body from side to side. But unlike Pacquiao, Aoh is not the type of slugger who will slug it out with his opponent.
“He backpedals and peppers his opponent with jabs. Maybe if the Barrera camp can ask Aoh to be an aggressor during sparring, the Japanese can help Barrera a lot in solving Pacquiao’s uncanny moves,” said the source.
Aoh is said to be a good counterpuncher and has good timing with his combinations.
Another Japanese set to join Aoh in Mexico is Yoshimitsu Yashiro, a lanky five-foot-nine southpaw who is unscathed in 18 fights, 10 via knockout.
The 27-year-old Yashiro is said to be a more aggressive fighter than Aoh, as disclosed by the source who has been working in Japan for less than a year, receiving a monthly pay of $1,000.
“I think Barrera is able to get two competent sparring partners capable of giving him valuable tips in defeating Pacquiao. The way I see it, Barrera will probably not mix it up with Pacquiao, and I won’t be surprised if he will be contented in trying to outbox Manny,” said the source.
Tanaka is still looking for a third southpaw who will join two of his compatriots in molding Barrera into a crafty fighter.
“If you saw Barrera’s last two fights against Rocky Juarez, you will notice Barrera is now a boxer who fights to win, and not to thrill the crowd that is typical of a Mexican warrior,” said the source.
The 28-year-old Pacquiao is currently in Cebu, where he is set to step up his much-maligned preparations for his next fight in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao has been telling the media that his Cebu training camp will be good for up to the end of this month, and that an intense preparation is in store for him at the famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood starting in the first week of September.
Pacquiao will battle Barrera on October 6 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Pacquiao beat Barrera in their initial encounter by scoring a brutal 11th round technical knockout victory in November 2003 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
Yesterday, Pacquiao’s American trainer Freddie Roach arrived in the country with newly crowned World Boxing Organization (WBO) bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa. From the Naia, Roach took a connecting flight to Cebu to immediately join his prized ward. Pacquiao, Roach and Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez are staying at the posh Waterfront Hotel in Lahug.
Roach said he is comfortable working with Pacquiao in the Philippines and is also confident that the Filipino boxing sensation will be in perfect shape in time for his return bout with Barrera.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, did his usual regimen of punch mitts, skipping ropes, speed ball and shadow boxing supervised by Roach.
The southpaw Pacquiao told BusinessMirror in a recent interview that he will try his best to win this fight as he believes Barrera will be more prepared both mentally and physically for their rematch.
