LOS ANGELES ? Freddie Roach offered one of Manny Pacquiao?s sparring partners a cash reward of ,000 if he succeeds in lifting the Filipino fighter off his feet in one of their sparring sessions at the Wild Card Boxing Club.
So far, Julio Gamboa of Nicaragua has yet to pull off such a feat but Roach says the offer still stands although he only has until Saturday or Monday to do that. Roach has yet to name who will spar with Pacquiao for six rounds on Saturday and another four on Monday.
“He?s the one who came in talkin? s___t. But he doesn?t talk no more,” said Roach with a crackle.
“But he was great last week and he was exactly what I needed,” added the celebrated corner man.
Gamboa, 36, has been in training camp with Pacquiao the past two weeks and he is paid 0 for sparring three times a week.
“Since I came here, I have sparred with him a total of 14 rounds,” said Gamboa, originally from the city of Leon in Nicaragua but who now lives in a downtown area here called Little Tokyo.
“Manny is fast and strong and I don?t think the fight will last the distance. At the most, Pacquiao will win in the eighth round but it could be earlier,” said Gamboa.
Steve Quinonez of Palm Springs is paid more at ,000 a week and he has been cashing in on as a sparmate since the third week of May.
In exchange for the handsome payment, Quinonez, also 36 like Gamboa, gets to train and hone his skills alongside the world?s best fighter.
And while it is Pacquiao who gives him money in his pocket, Quinonez still believes Pacquiao?s speed and power will be too much for David Diaz next week in Las Vegas.
“Pacquiao is fast and accurate and you go blind with his speed,” said Quinonez, who holds a 31-12-3 card with 10 knockouts.
