VICTOR POSTOL, Mike Jones and Jose Ramirez have all provided Manny Pacquiao with crucial sparring ahead of his WBO welterweight title defence against Chris Algieri on Sunday (November 23).
“They’re very good sparring mates and we did a lot in training for this fight,” Pacquiao declared at Wednesday’s press conference. “You are part of this fight. You helped me a lot. So thank you for being part of this fight.
“I believe that it’s going be an exciting fight on Sunday. All I can say is it’s all set. We did our best training. My team are very happy with this training camp and also very happy because we remember and we see the battles of the old days, when I was young, and the speed and power and determination, the aggression is there, it’s back so I’m very excited for Sunday for this fight.”
WATCH PACQUIAO SPEAK AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE
“Manny is in great shape,” his trainer Freddie Roach confirmed, before he turned directly to Pacquiao to simply say, “You are the best.”
In case Pacquiao was in need of any further positive reinforcement, promoter Bob Arum was effusive in his praise. “I’ve promoted some great, great fighters in the past, like Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, Sugar Ray Leonard, Tommy Hearns, George Foreman. But it’s never been anything like promoting Manny Pacquiao. Because he is a young man that put a face to a people,” Arum said. “That’s something really special, because Manny Pacquiao represents the best of what it means to be a human being. I don’t have to go on about his charity work, what a heart he has but he is something special.”
For the full Pacquiao-Algieri preview don’t miss this week’s issue of Boxing News, available via our app on iTunes and Google Play.
Subscribe to BOXING NEWS, established in 1909, and the longest running publication on the market. SAVE MONEY and GET THE BEST COVERAGE EVERY WEEK.
