Pacquiao breaks sparmate’s nose

MANILA, Philippines – WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao continued to impress in sparring at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, dominating a sparring partner and even bloodying his nose.

In a report by veteran scribe Eddie Alinea of Philboxing.com, Pacquiao’s assistant trainer and best friend Buboy Ferndandez said the boxer on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time) went four rounds against Keandre Gibson and another four against Kenneth Sims Jr.

But it was Sims – a young welterweight from Chicago who’s an eight-time US amateur champion – who got beaten up the most. He ended up with a busted nose courtesy of a Pacquiao signature left straight.

“I just forgot the exact round and time when our fighting congressman smashed the nose of his sparring partner with his whopping left straight. Blood started flowing from his nose,” Fernandez said.

Pacquiao has stepped on the gas in training as he heads into the biggest fight of his career against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Their bout, expected to be the richest ever in the sport, will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 2 (May 3 Manila time).

To help get the Filipino icon in shape and ready to take on the undefeated Mayweather, chief trainer Freddie Roach has assembled a battery of sparring partners. So far, Fernandez said they are giving Pacquiao a good workout.

 “They were young, fast and strong and they have the ability to mimic Mayweather’s fighting style,” Fernandez added. – Dino Maragay