Freddie Roach Comments on Pacman's 1st Sparring Session

The hype began a long time ago, but Manny Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) officially started sparring Tuesday for his upcoming May 2 bout with Floyd Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs).

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach talked about how Pacquiao looked, via BoxingNews24.com:

"

When Manny threw out the first punch it felt like opening day of Irish Spring Training. Manny looked so fresh today. I’m very happy with what he showed me. You couldn’t tell he had been away from the ring since the Algieri fight in November. Manny is on fire in the gym. I am confident May 2 will be celebrated for years to come as St. Manny’s Day – the day he drove Mayweather out of boxing!

"

It makes sense that Roach would hype up his fighter with some bravado (just read that last sentence), but it’s hard not to get excited about this much-anticipated showdown with Mayweather with those quotes. MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas will be rocking in May, but the fight is sure to capture the attention and fascination of the entire sporting world.

Mayweather has never lost, but some people view that record with something of an asterisk because he has never squared off with Pacquiao. That will change if he can beat the southpaw on May 2.

In his prime, Pacman was known for his devastating speed and flurry of quick punches. If he can tap into that again with formidable sparring before the bout, he may be able to challenge Mayweather and perhaps even put a one in that loss column.