LOS ANGELES, California—Oscar De La Hoya, better take note.
Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao showed on Thursday that his granite fists pack as much power at a heavier weight as he knocked down a bigger sparmate at the Wild Card Gym here.
Pacquiao unleashed a big left hook that found the jaw of Arron “Energizer” Robinson, sending the welterweight prospect on the seat of his pants and eliciting a roar from the small gym crowd. The knockdown came on the heels of a discontinued plyometrics program that the Filipino trainers found to be doing more harm than good to the Pacman.
Pacquiao also did six rounds against chief sparmate Rashad Holloway and three rounds opposite Michael Dellas, Jr.
In an interview with 8countnews.com, Holloway said that Pacquiao’s power was hardly affected by the RP ring icon’s ascension to the welterweight ranks and that De La Hoya will get a taste of it in their Dec. 6 Dream Match in Las Vegas.
“Honestly, I was shocked by his power,” Holloway said. “I guarantee you he’ll stun Oscar at some point during the fight. Stevie Forbes was able to touch Oscar. Oscar’s not that good against southpaws. I think Manny will be able to touch him a whole lot.”
Trainer Freddie Roach allowed Pacquiao to spar only eleven rounds Thursday.