Roach eyes new sparmates for Pacquiao
Freddie Roach is eyeing to tap three to four new possible sparmates for Manny Pacquiao as he enters the second and final phase of his training for his Nov. 12 World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight showdown against Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez. Roach mentioned veteran super-featherweight Roger Gonzales and Miguel Diaz among those in his radar as Venezuelan Jorge Linares and regular sparmate David Rodela are no longer available. Linares will be vying for the World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight championship against Antonio de Marco this Saturday in the undercard of the light-heavyweight championship fight against Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The two-time former world champion from Venezuela trained for the bout as Pacquiao’s major sparmate during their three-week stay at the Shape Up gym inside the Cooyesan Hotel in Baguio City. Roach said both Pacquiao and Linares were perfect sparmates especially since De Marco, like Pacquiao, is a southpaw. “They were perfect for each other," said Roach. “Manny offered to help because Linares’ opponent is a southpaw. So Manny’s been boxing with Linares." “We started training really early, because Linares has a fight coming up." Linares may not be in the same league as Marquez, but Roach has a lot of respect for him. “Linares isn’t necessarily a counter-puncher, but he’s very, very formidable. And every punch that he throws has a meaning with it. So it worked out really well," said Roach. “Linares is a smart fighter like Marquez. He's very intelligent and he sets things up really well. He doesn't just make things up without thinking about them first," added Pacquiao’s trainer for a decade now. Rodela, a regular U.S. sparmate of `The Pacman’ in the past, meanwhile, is coming off a fifth round knockout against Luis Ramos Jr. in their lightweight bout in California two weeks ago Roach arrived in the U.S. together with Pacquiao last Saturday after breaking camp in the Philippines. They were accompanied during the 13-hour flight from Manila by strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, and Filipino cornermen Nonoy Neri and Buboy Fernandez. On Sunday, Pacquiao attended his regular Sunday morning service at the Christ The King Church, headed back to his posh Palazzo apartment where he played darts, and then spent the rest of the day relaxing in the company of his entourage. - OMG, GMA News