Pacquiao advisor confirms Chavez Jr. will come to Philippines despite December bout
Days after Freddie Roach said he will not be joining team Pacquiao, Manny Pacquiao advisor Michael Koncz confirms that Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. will join the team to help Pacquiao train for his upcoming bout with Antonio Margarito.
In an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer after joining Pacquiao in General Santos City, Koncz said that three other sparring partners were scheduled to arrive Sunday morning.
The partners are 29-year-old Rashad Holloway (11-1, 5 KOs), a welterweight who has been Pacquiao’s partner on multiple occasions, Vanes Martirosyan (28-0, 17 KOs), who is also trained by Freddie Roach, and 20-year-old prospect Glen Tapia (7-0, 5 KOs).
Chavez joins the group at a height of 6-foot-1.
Roach specifically wanted taller training partners for the purpose of getting Pacquiao comfortable with Margarito’s bigger size. Both Holloway and Martirosyan are six feet tall.
Speculations arose about Chavez joining the group when a prospective fight between him and welterweight Miguel Cotto was announced for December. Recently the fight was called off.
Bob Arum said that the on the 11 December he had already arranged to have Chavez take on another opponent.
Koncz, who spoke to Arum about the matter, said: “Chavez will follow in two weeks [to the Philippines]. He will fight in December but it is not going to be against Cotto.”
Koncz added that he requested Chavez’s flight information from Arum so that he could meet him at the airport so he “sees a familiar face” when he arrives.
Team Pacquiao will be setting up training camp in Baguio City, as was originally planned.
Koncz made a strange comment regarding his time in Manila, saying “it is not working out here [in Manila].”
Pacquiao’s congressional chief of staff lawyer Franklin “Jeng” Gacal explained to Koncz that “Pacman” could miss some congress sessions to train for his upcoming WBC junior middleweight bout.
Reportedly even House Speaker Sonny Belmonte said he would be okay with Pacquiao playing political hooky for professional causes.
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