Michael Rosenthal of RingTv.com did an awesome Q & A with Manny Pacquiao’s sparing partners early this week at the Wild Card Boxing Club as Pacman gets ready for his fight against Joshua Clottey on March 13. No one knows what it’s like to exchange punches with the No. 1 fighter in the world, Manny Pacquiao, more than his sparring partners.
Ray Beltran (23-4, 15 knockouts) has worked with Pacquiao since he was a featherweight, the longest tenure of the three sparring partners. The Mexican-born resident of Phoenix, who fights between lightweight and junior welterweight, is coming off a seventh-round knockout victory over David Torres last month.
Mike Dallas (11-0-1, 2 KOs) is a talented 23-year-old prospect from Bakersfield, Calif. He is skillful and very quick but hasn’t shown knockout power. Dallas also sparred with Pacquiao for his fight against Oscar De La Hoya in 2008.
Abdullai Amidu (18-0, 17 KOs) was a terror in his native Ghana, where he knocked out all but one of his opponents. The 27-year-old welterweight is big, strong and skillful. His three-round session with Pacquiao was the most spirited. He and Clottey come from the same country but don’t know one another well. “When I see him,” Amidu said, “I say hi. That’s it.” This is his first camp with Pacquiao. He has also sparred with Amir Khan and Victor Ortiz.
They offered their thoughts after each of them went three rounds with Pacquiao you can read the complete Q & A here.