Pacquiao Is Preparing for Mayweather by Sparring with a Former UFC Fighter

To even diehard MMA and boxing fans, the name Dashon Johnson may seem obscure or even irrelevant. 

But name recognition apparently holds little weight with WBO welterweight boxing champ Manny Pacquiao, who, according to a report from EsNews, as transcribed by MMA Mania, has enlisted Johnson's help in preparation for the most significant fight of his storied career.

We're less than a month away from Pac-Man's long-awaited bout with WBA (super), WBC and The Ring welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather Jr., and Johnson is one of Pacquiao's few sparring partners.

Johnson talked about how his connection with Freddie Roach's Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles enabled him to land the coveted gig.

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I used to train at Wild Card, obviously for a few years, and me and Freddie have a pretty good relationship, and I actually came to him and offered my assistance. At first it was a little shaky, but after actually going in there a few times, he saw what I could bring to the table, and that's when he decided to keep me in camp, and that's why I'm here.

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After winning his first nine pro MMA fights in the Xplode Fight Series organization, Johnson suffered back-to-back submission losses to Jake Matthews and Godofredo "Pepey" Castro in his only two appearances in the UFC.

Three weeks before his fight with Castro, Johnson violated his contract by accepting a pro boxing fight on two days' notice. Johnson lost that fight via unanimous decision to Louis Rose and was subsequently released from the UFC less than two months later.

The 27-year-old California native hasn't competed in MMA since getting his walking papers from the UFC last October. He has dropped each of his last six pro boxing matches and holds a career boxing mark of 15-19-3.

"Honestly, it's a dream come true," Johnson said. "Watching Manny over the years and seeing him progress and him actually having me in camp for arguably the biggest fight in history, it's honestly a blessing, and I couldn't be more happy to be here."

Johnson may have racked up nine straight wins in the Xplode Fight Series organization, but his experience there certainly didn't prepare him for the UFC.

None of his Xplode Fight Series opponents currently holds a winning record, and three of those foes were making their pro debuts against Johnson and haven't competed since. His eight opponents from the Xplode Fight Series have compiled a combined record of 15-50, with 12 of those wins coming from one opponent, Brady Harrison.

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Pacquiao, boxing's first and only eight-division world champ, has amassed a career record of 57-5-2, with 38 knockouts. Mayweather, a five-division world champ, has piled up a career mark of 47-0 with 26 knockouts.