Pacquiao silences new, cocky sparring partner

Manny Pacquiao showed his cocky and loud-mouthed sparring partner why he is reigning pound-for-pound boxer in the world. Hastings Bwalya of Zambia sparred for the first time with Pacquiao at the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles Thursday (Friday in Manil). Bwalya, an unbeaten welterweight, goaded Pacquiao during their sparring session and the young Zambian fighter paid dearly as he suffered a serious beating at the hands of the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) 147-pound champion. By the time the Filipino boxing icon finished four rounds with his 26-year-old sparmate, Bwalya had a bloodied mouth and nose, according to Pacquiao close aide Winchell Campos. Cutman Miguel Diaz was the one who recommended Bwalya to Roach to help Pacquiao train for his WBO title defense opposite rival Juan Manuel Marquez of Mexico on November 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 5-foot-8 Bwalya, a junior welterweight, is undefeated after seven fights with five of his wins by knockout. Bwalya ruled the 2007 All-Africa Games and represented his country in the 2008 Beijing Olympics when he suffered a 12-8 loss to Mongolian Uranchimegiin Monkh Erdene in the first round. Bwalya, however, proved to be cocky and a loudmouth as he taunted Pacquiao and even dared the Filipino southpaw to go toe-to-toe with him. Pacquiao studied his sparring partner in the first round then went to work in the second and never slowed down after that. Pacquiao even cornered the Zambian with powerful combinations and unleashed an uppercut that bloodied Bwalya's mouth and nose. Ray Beltran stepped in for Bwalya and sparred for another four rounds before the Zambian, who continued to mock Pacquiao, returned for the final two rounds and got another serious beating from the Fighting Congressman from Sarangani. Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, said Bwalya will return for another round of sparring with his prized boxing champion. Bwalya replaced Pacquiao's former sparing partner Jorge Linares as the Venezuelan will challenge Antonio de Marco for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight title on Saturday at the Staples Center. — JVP, GMA News