Photo from Johnson’s Facebook account.
A sparmate of Manny Pacquiao has confirmed that the eight-division World Champion was indeed injured going into the high-money bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Dashon Johnson, a former UFC fighter and one of Pacquiao’s sparring partners during his seven-week training camp, said in a Facebook post that Pacquiao got hurt in training and “it was messed up pretty bad.”
He added that Pacquiao’s injury was “so bad his sparring partners including myself were asked to go home a few weeks out before the actual fight.”
Pacquiao said in his post-fight conference after his loss against Mayweather on Sunday (Manila time) that his right shoulder was injured and that he had to rely heavily on his left hand during the bout.
Johnson also came to Pacquiao’s defense when it came to pushing through with the megabout despite the knowledge of the hurting shoulder.
“Manny, no matter what, wasn’t going to let his family, fans and friends down by postponing the fight so he was gonna just fight for through the pain!” Johnson also said in the lengthy post.
“I take my hat off to him because even faced with the adversity he had going into this fight, in my mind he had the better action moments in the fight and still tried to engage with a messed up shoulder and still went 12 rounds with the greatest fighter in the world today!”
Pacquiao lost his WBO Welterweight belt via unanimous decision while Mayweather added it to his WBA and WBC Welterweight collection.
Johnson praised Pacquiao saying that the defeated fighter “did what you had to do.”
“You are still the peoples champion also at the end of the day you put your family in a better position and made your country men proud!” Johnson posted. “If everyone knew what I knew you would be loved even more than how you are now!”
He thanked Pacquiao for including him to his training camp which Johnson said are “memories” that he “will cherish forever.”
“No excuses at all being made the injury was real!”
“Hats off to Mayweather for another victory in his already luxurious career! God bless both fighters and the world appreciates you both!”
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