Floyd Mayweather Jr. started to stop sparmates after only four days of training, while Manny Pacquiao was trying to climb back rusty from a four-month boxing layoff.
Doesn’t look very nice, but don’t tell that to Justine Fortune, tried-and-tested Pacquiao conditioning coach.
No way Pacquiao could likewise down sparmates—because they have yet to spar at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card gym.
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Fortune said Pacquiao is right where he should be now, physically.
“He always comes around 60 percent, then we build him up and peak him and he’s always done the same thing,” Fortune explained.
It may be too early in the Pacquiao schedule. So there’s no sparring, but plenty of floor work.
Fortune, however, assured that Pacquiao will be in perfect form exactly on fight day.
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Trainer Freddie Roach could be expected back in California today from his misadventure in Macau, where the Chinese world title hope Zou Shiming was exposed and dominated by Thailand’s Amnat Ruenroeng.
The all-revealing loss all but derailed the so-called Shiming Express, which had been sent out at full speed in a bid to make boxing a top attraction in the Chinese mainland.
The setback should have no effect whatsoever on Roach’s total plan for Pacquiao. For one, Pacquiao is a certified stopper, while Zou was unmasked as a paper-fan puncher who should’ve not ventured into the brutal nose-busting business.
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Anyway, Roach in Macau had been observed frantically begging for combinations in the closing rounds from Zou, who could only deliver pitiful fly-swats through his powerless wrists.
This, of course, won’t be the case come May 2 in Las Vegas. Roach, in fact, has given advance orders for a coup via an all-out knockout against Mayweather.
Meanwhile, Mayweather, after announcing that his first week at training camp with his Uncle Roger and Mayweather Sr., went perfectly well, rewarded himself with a high-roller romp around the famed Las Vegas Strip.
The unbeaten American world boxing champion also found time to announce they’ve completed fight plans, based on what would be required in the super fight.
Everything was supposedly going perfectly on schedule.
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An accompanying picture for that online report from Las Vegas showed Mayweather shadow-boxing, his fists clasping a couple of small dumb bells.
He didn’t have to say it, but it could be Mayweather’s way of saying he won’t just slip, grab and slide, but also engage come fight time. He could box and brawl, swing out and dance, then go bang-bang-bang.
He could also jumpstart, but Mayweather refused to claim if he was ahead in training.
All Mayweather tried to say was—unlike Pacquiao—he’s already in near perfect form.