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MANILA, Philippines – Two unbeaten fighters have been tapped by trainer Freddie Roach to help Manny Pacquiao prepare for his May 2 super-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Welterweight Rashidi Ellis (13-0, 10 knockouts) of Lynn, Massachusetts and lightweight Kenneth Sims Jr. (5-0, 2 KOs) of Chicago, Illinois will fly out to the Wild Card Gym on March 8 to begin their ring work.
Both are aged 21 and can simulate the slight height advantage the 5-foot-8 Mayweather holds over the 5-foot-6 1/2 Pacquiao, with Sims standing 5-foot-10 and Ellis at 5-foot-9.
Roach tells ESPN that he noticed them when they came down to his Hollywood gym to spar, and that he has four other sparring partners he’s considering for later in camp.
“I’m very impressed with their talent. I know they’re young guys but they’re good. They have that Mayweather look a bit,” Roach said.
(READ: Pacquiao must KO Mayweather to win, says Marquez)
Sims says he used the shoulder roll defense, which Mayweather has popularized, when he sparred two southpaws at the Wild Card in January. That may be what compelled Roach to inquire his promoter Gary Shaw about his services.
“I’m very excited. I wasn’t expecting this at all,” Sims Jr., who is nicknamed “The Bossman”, tells Rappler.
Sims, who started boxing at age 8, was a 7-time national amateur champion with over 200 fights to his credit. He turned professional last March and has a fight scheduled for April 25 on the undercard of the Wladimir Klitschko vs. Bryant Jennings heavyweight championship fight at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“I think I can imitate everybody if I see them enough because I like boxing, I’m a student of the game. Sometimes when I’m training I just imitate people just to do it,” said Sims when asked if he could effectively mimic Mayweather’s style.
Amateur highlights of Kenneth Sims Jr.
“Speedy” Rashidi, as he’s known, has fought primarily out of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic since turning pro in 2013, including ten times in 2014. Ellis was a 3-time New England Golden Gloves champion and had a reported amateur record of 60-11.
Ellis has several stylistic similiarities to Mayweather, including his posture of keeping his left hand low, plus attacking with lead right hands and countering with check left hooks.
Ellis didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment but confirmed the news on his Instagram account, saying “Feels great that I could be part of the greatest fight in boxing history.”
Rashidi Ellis scores a first round KO of Oscar Diaz in 2013
Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) is expected to leave Manila for Los Angeles on Saturday, February 28 and report to the gym on March 2. He’ll be without Roach for the first week as the reigning BWAA Trainer of the Year is set to travel to Macau for Chinese flyweight Zou Shiming’s challenge of IBF flyweight titleholder Amnat Ruenroeng.
The 36-year-old Pacquiao will begin work with Roach’s Filipino assistant Marvin Somodio.
Mayweather (47-0, 26 KOs), who recently celebrated his 38th birthday, will also begin training on March 2 at his gym in Las Vegas. – Rappler.com
Ryan Songalia is the sports editor of Rappler, a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and a contributor to The Ring magazine. He can be reached at ryan.songalia@rappler.com. Follow him on Twitter: @RyanSongalia.
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