Photo from Manny Pacquiao’s Twitter account.
HOLLYWOOD — It was strictly a closed-door sparring session, but there was no effort to stop the guy from walking into the downstairs ring of Wild Card Gym Saturday afternoon.
He’d aged at 70, but the barreled chest and well-toned muscles and traces of his Italian good looks remain.
Sylvester Stallone of the mega-hit Rocky and Rambo movie series came to watch his friend, Manny Pacquiao, spar with Ray Beltran for six rounds.
And, as always, Stallone, renowned for his portrayal of Rocky Balboa, the perennial underdog boxer, was impressed with how Pacquiao dominated his partner.
“The best (fighter) ever. He is the best in the last 60 to 70 years,” Stallone told sportscaster Dyan Castillejo. “Better than Rocky Balboa.”
Coming from the man who conceptualized and acted the part of Rocky, who’s become one of the most recognizable movie characters ever after Rocky VI, it was the supreme compliment.
That he was videoing, which was also strictly prohibited, the sparring session was another ample proof of how Stallone regards Pacquiao.
Pacman better than Rocky?
Stallone, aka Rocky Balboa, said so./rga