Manny's sparmate guns for WBC title

MANILA, Philippines - What Jorge Linares learned from three weeks of training with Manny Pacquiao in Baguio City will be put to a test when the Venezuelan faces Mexico’s Antonio De Marco for the vacant WBC lightweight crown at the Stapes Center in Los Angeles this morning (Manila time).

Linares, 26, was brought in by Freddie Roach to spar with Pacquiao because the way he fights resembles Juan Manuel Marquez’ counterpunching style. He was Pacquiao’s only sparmate in Baguio City before leaving for Los Angeles last weekend to continue his preparations for Marquez.

Roach said Linares used to work out with Pacquiao during the Filipino icon’s early years in Los Angeles and their sparring sessions were always hard-fought. But in Baguio City, the disparity in their progress as fighters was evident as Pacquiao has grown to be quicker, stronger and bigger.

It will be Roach’s debut in Linares’ corner and the five-time Trainer of the Year predicted an easy win by decision or a late knockout for the former WBC featherweight and superfeatherweight titlist. Before reporting for duty in Baguio City, Linares was with Roach at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Linares said working with the US Olympic hopefuls gave him a boost particularly as Roach is their consultant.

“It’s a great experience living with the US team,” said Linares, quoted by Gabriel Cordero in fightnews.com. “Every day is a chance to daydream about being an Olympian, doing physical training routines other than what I do with Alex (Ariza) who is focused on a different strategy (specifically, strength). Anything that involves being part of a team has benefited my determination and mental strength to overcome De Marco.”

Roach said he likes Linares’ attitude and that’s why he didn’t hesitate to take him under his wing. “His style is about 70 percent Marquez and he’s a little more aggressive which is what I want him to be,” said Roach. “He’s a good kid. He actually lives in Japan. His first language is Spanish then Japanese and English. He has nice skills. His Japanese promoter (Akihiko Honda) sent him over to Wild Card years ago when Manny was just new in the US.” A Linares win over De Marco will be the first of four steps that Roach said could lead to taking his fourth straight Trainer of the Year award and sixth overall. The next three steps are Pacquiao beating Marquez, Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. defending his WBC middleweight crown against Peter Manfredo Jr. on Nov. 19 and WBA “super” and IBF lightwelterweight champion Amir Khan disposing of Lamont Peterson on Dec. 10.

Linares is promoted by Golden Boy. “He’s a special fighter,” said Golden Boy president Oscar de la Hoya. “Anyone who has seen Jorge fight knows he’s one of the best fighters in the world, pound-for-pound. “ Linares initially came to the attention of boxing fans when he halted Pacquiao victim Oscar Larios of Mexico to win the WBC featherweight championship in Las Vegas in 2007. It was his first bout in the US after turning pro in 2002 when he moved to Japan from Venezuela as a 17-year-old. Linares spoke only Spanish at the time but eventually became fluent in Japanese.

“Observers of the sport agree that he has the potential to become a star,” wrote Michael Rosenthal on espn.com. “At 5-8, he’s tall for a featherweight. And he doesn’t fight like a typically aggressive Latin American fighter. He’s more measured, relying less on power and more on brains yet still as exciting as any young champion. He’s a complete package – well-schooled, quick-handed, power enough to hurt his opponents and he can take a punch.”

Linares has a 31-1 record, with 20 KOs. His only loss was a shock first round knockout to Juan Carlos Salgado in 2009. Curiously, Khan has suffered only one loss and it was also by a first round knockout. But Roach was not in their corner when they lost. De Marco, 25, is the WBC silver lightweight champion. His record is 25-2-1, with 18 KOs, and his setbacks were to Anthony Vazquez by majority decision in 2006 and the late Edwin Valero by a ninth round stoppage last year. The De Marco fight was Valero’s last before he died.

Six of Linares’ victims were Filipinos, namely, Jeffrey Onate (KO1), Ayon Naranjo (W6), Melvin Ayudtud (KO1), Michael Domingo (W10), Pedrito Laurente (W10) and Ariel Austria (W8).