Pacquiao to spar as scheduled amid Spence replacement
HOLLYWOOD — The change from a southpaw to an orthodox fighter for an opponent should not drastically disrupt Manny Pacquiao’s sparring routine.
Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s longtime training associate and best friend, said only minor adjustments are needed with the emergence of Yordenis Ugas — a right-hander — as replacement for the Filipino icon’s fight on August 21 in Las Vegas (August 22, Manila time).
“Hindi na natin kailangan magpalit ng sparring partners. Mas mabubugbog lang tayo lalo (We don’t need new sparring partners. We will just get battered),” Fernandez told Filipino sportswriters at the Wild Card Gym here in Los Angeles on Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time).
Pacquiao had been duking it out with southpaws Giovanni Cabrera and Ivan Redkach prior to Errol Spence’s withdrawal due to an eye injury. Now, the two sparmates have temporarily switched to right-handers in an effort to simulate Ugas’ stance.
Ecuadorian Arnold Gonzalez, who also acted as a sparmate for Pacquiao before, has also been tapped to help out.
That should be good enough, according to Fernandez.
“Okay na yun, pababa na tayo eh,” he said, stressing that Pacquiao is already close to tapering off his training and wary of burning out.
Pacquiao is scheduled to spar tomorrow and on Saturday, and is expected to break camp next Monday (Tuesday, Manila time) for the journey to Las Vegas for fight week.
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