TOKYO, Japan — A total news blackout on the training by Mexican champion Oscar Larios at the Teiken gym in Tokyo was imposed by Mexican manager Rafael Mendoza.
Mendoza ordered gym officials to stop everyone, newsmen included, from seeing how the popular Mexican gladiator is preparing in his training for his World Boxing Council (WBC) international featherweight showdown with Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao at the Araneta Coliseum on July 2.
“Don’t let him talk or be seen by anybody, particularly media men, so he can concentrate on his training with his Japanese sparmates. This will stop Filipinos from spying on my boxer,” said Mendoza from Mexico via in an overseas phone interview.
Teiken is owned by Akihiko Honda, a business partner of Mendoza.
“We’ve heard reports that Filipino ‘spies’ are flying to Japan to ‘snoop’ around on how Oscar trains so Pacquiao’s camp will know our counter-offensive plan against Pacquiao.”
Larios arrived in Tokyo last Saturday and commutes daily by car from the gym to the Grand Palace Hotel.
He is accompanied daily by a second trainer, plus two security men.
Three Japanese boxers — current WBC bantamweight king Hozumi Hasegawa, fourth-ranked WBC bantamweight Yoshiaki Nishioka and top featherweight Akio Mikami — were assigned as Larios’ sparmates for one and a half hours daily at Teiken.
Mendoza said he will join Larios in two weeks’ time in Japan, together with trainer Edison Reynoso, before they fly to Manila at least a week before the “Big Fight.”
