GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines ? Sparring sessions of world eight-division boxing champion Manny Pacquiao will start on Saturday but training session on Thursday afternoon at the Pacman Wild Card Gym was already declared off-limits to the media.
?As usual, the same rules apply. The training session starting today is off-limits to the media. Only the members of Team Pacquiao will be allowed inside,? Chief trainer and head coach Freddie Roach told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in interview at the Acharon Memorial Sports Complex.
Roach added that those who were allowed to get inside were advised not to take video footage or even pictures of the training.
Roach arrived here Wednesday with two sparring mates in tow.
Manny Pacquiao. FILE PHOTO
?I brought along two sparring partners. The two others are still coming. The first sparring session will be on Saturday,? Roach said.
The two sparring partners were Russian-born but now American citizen Stan Martiniouk, 29, and Mike Jones, 31.
The 5?10 Martyniouk, a former sparring mate of Nonito ?The Filipino Flash? Donaire, totes a record of 13-2 with two knockouts.
The 5?11 1/2 Jones, with a record of 26 wins, 19 knock outs and one loss, was once a North American Boxing Association (NABA), North American Boxing Organization (NABO) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) Welterweight champion.
