MANILA, Philippines — Manny Pacquiao isn’t taking South Korean martial arts expert DK Yoo lightly in their six-round exhibition bout in Goyang, a Seoul satellite city, on Dec. 10 and is training in General Santos City like a world title is on the line. Last weekend, trainer Buboy Fernandez said Pacquiao is getting ready to start sparring with a month to go before the Seoul engagement.
Jonathan Peñalosa, who is in Pacquiao’s training staff, said featherweights Jestoni Autida of Zamboanga del Sur and Rodex Piala of Cebu are lined up as sparmates. Fernandez said they’re bringing in fighters at a lower weight to test Pacquiao’s speed and mobility. Autida is a 5-7 journeyman with a 12-12 record, including six KOs while Piala is an up-and-coming prospect with a 6-0 mark, including one KO. Pacquiao begins sparring Tuesday and the plan is to log a total of 30-40 rounds.
Yoo is a southpaw like Pacquiao and they’re both 43. The difference is in weight and experience. Yoo is expected to weigh about 180 pounds while Pacquiao may scale a little more than 150. The exhibition has no weight limit. Pacquiao said he’s prepared to take on a lightheavyweight. Peñalosa said Pacquiao is close to 155 at the moment and probably won’t take off too much more weight. But from his workouts, Pacquiao looks like he’ll drop down to less than 150, close to the welterweight limit of 147. “My style is going to be aggressive with more punches and footwork because I’m used to fighting a bigger guy,” said Pacquiao.
Yoo, founder of Wartime Combat System and a master of 15 fighting disciplines, is out to make a name for himself at Pacquiao’s expense and although he has never figured in a pro bout, is counting on his expertise to put up a fight. Like Pacquiao, he’s taking the exhibition seriously. Last month, Yoo flew to Los Angeles for a press conference announcing the exhibition with Pacquiao participating virtually in real time via hologram from Seoul. It was like Pacquiao was in two places simultaneously. They were in a press conference together in the Korean capital and right after, Yoo boarded a night flight for Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles, MP Promotions head Sean Gibbons’ son Brendan took Yoo to the Wild Card Gym where the Korean met trainer Marvin Somodio.