Rising junior middleweight sensation Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. was supposed to make a trip to the Philippines along with Freddie Roach and crew to help seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao get into shape for the latter’s junior middleweight beatdown against former welterweight titleholder Antonio Margarito. But with Chavez’ looming bout in December versus WBA junior middleweight champion Miguel Cotto, the Mexican superstar is advised to concentrate on his own training camp.
Chavez would have been the perfect sparring partner for Pacquiao for this particular fight, as the Mexican packs power and has the height that would really help Pacquiao and Roach to devise a plan on how to approach the Tijuana Tornado. With Chavez no longer part of the Pacquiao training camp, Roach tapped on rising light junior middleweight prospect Glen Tapia to take Chavez place.
Glen who?
Truth be told, this writer do not know anything about this young 20-year old kid from Passaic, New Jersey. So again, the cat took a look at Tapia and here are some of the tidbits about the guy whose main responsibility right now is give the Pacman serious sparring sessions for that November 13th date with Margarito.
Tapia’s professional boxing career spans nearly two years in a seven-fight winning streak, seven wins with five knockouts. As an amateur, Tapia’s record boasts of 143 matches, 130 wins against 13 losses. He also won the US Junior Olympics. He might be raw as a professional, but as a boxer, he certainly has the sport in his veins.
Despite his young age and less than 10 professional fights under his belt, Tapia is a sought-after sparring partner by the stars. Among the elite contenders who have tapped him to be their sparring partner include former champions Yuri Foreman, Joshua Clottey, Kendall Holt, Paulie Malignaggi, and the late Vernon Forrest. That’s a clear indication that this kid is going to be a somebody someday.
“Manny Pacquiao is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world,” said the young Tapia. “Going there and to spar with him is a blessing.”
Tapia is a come-forward fighter who also happens to be a volume puncher, which is the reason why he is chosen by Coach Freddie Roach to replace Chavez.
“I could pick a lot of things from him, like fight a strong lefty like him,” Tapia said on the kind of experience he expects from sparring with Pacquiao.
Tapia hopes that he could be like Pacquiao, and that fans would someday see him as Glen Tapia, a great boxer, and not just follow him for the moment because Pacquiao hired him.
“I fight hard. I go in there and give it my all, just like him (Pacquiao). I fight to give your money’s worth.”
From where I stand, this kid is brimming with promise.
Source: filipinoboxingjournal.com
