Manny Pacquiao Will Start his Sparring Sessions Today

Trainer Freddie Roach said he’s looking forward to the first day of Manny Pacquiao’s sparring with Shawn Porter and David Rodela on Tuesday afternoon. The Pacquiao vs Mosley fight will happen on May 7, 2011 on MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Roach and Pacquiao were scheduled to train Saturday afternoon at the Elorde Sports Center in Sucat, Parañaque, but the pound-for-pound king didn’t make it to workout. Team Pacquiao left its high-altitude training camp in the Pines City so Pacquiao can grace the annual Elorde Boxing Awards. Pacquiao and Roach were still at the event around midnight of Friday since they were requested by the Elorde family to stay for a while and watch some fights.

Pacquiao and Roach are staying in Baguio until Friday as they are scheduled to leave for the US this Saturday for the most crucial phase of the training. Another batch of sparmates await Pacquiao at the Wild Card in Hollywood, according to Roach, who is also tapping prospect Omar Henry. Roach said Mosley, despite him being a crafty fighter as well, can be outboxed, as shown by what Floyd Mayweather and Miguel Cotto did to him.

Mayweather weathered an early storm and dominated Mosley en route to a lopsided decision in May last year, while Cotto scored a unanimous but close decision win over him in November 2007. Roach said Mosley’s strength surfaces whenever he is up against a fighter who comes at him and he knows very well not to fall into that trap. While Pacquiao is the type of guy who thrives in exchanging power blows, Roach said he will tweak his fighter’s style a little bit to suit their gameplan.