Kaliwete ang kinuhang sparmate ni Rios

MANILA, Philippines - Para magamay ang istilo ni Filipino world eight-division champion Manny Pacquiao ay kumuha si Brandon ‘Bam Bam’ Rios ng isang kaliwete ring boksingero bilang sparring partner.

“I’m trying to get used to fighting a lefty. I’ve never been used to sparring a lefty, but I think I’m getting used to it more and more,” sabi ng 27-anyos na si Rios sa panayam ng HustleBoss.com mula sa kanyang training camp sa Oxnard, California.

“I think by the end of the camp I’ll be really, real-ly good on sparring lefties,” dagdag pa nito.

Nakikipagsabayan si Rios, ang dating world lightweight titlist, sa sparring kina Karim ‘KC’ Martinez at Rashad Hughes.

Sinabi ng American-Mexican na hindi siya takot makipagsabayan kay Pacquiao na dalawang beses natalo kina Timothy Bradley, Jr. (split decision) at Juan Manuel Marquez (sixth-round KO) noong nakaraang taon.

“I’m different than the average fighter that they give me credit for. I do move my head, I do come in and I’m very aggressive but I’m smart and I don’t get hit a lot. It’s alright,” wika ni Rios.

Nakatakdang maglaban sina Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KO’s) at Rios (31-1-1, 23 KO’s) sa Nobyembre 24 para sa World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim welterweight crown sa The Venetian sa Macau, China.

Sa Pacman Wild Card Gym sa General Santos City nag-eensayo ang Sarangani Congressman katapat ang mga sparmates na sina Ghanaian welterweight Frederick Lawson (21-0-0, 19 KOs) at Filipino middleweight prospect Marlon Alta (12-3-0, 9 KOs).

Noong Martes sinimulan ni Pacquiao ang pakikipag-sparring kina Lawson at Alta, isang 5-foot-10 na dating Philippine middleweight king.