Manny Pacquiao trains with former UFC fighter for fight against Floyd Mayweather

D. Johnson (right) is helping M. Pacquiao (left) for the fight against F. Mayweather. Photo: Super Fights Production (Disclosure/UFC)

It is common in combat sports that before a big fight, athletes look for training partners with similar characteristics to their opponents in order to optimize their preparation. For the superfight against Floyd Mayweather, considered by many to be one of the biggest in boxing history, Filipino Manny Pacquiao turned to MMA to compose his team. sparring, but anyone who thinks that “Pacman” called up a champion or a big name in the sport, of the caliber of Anderson Silva ou Georges St Pierre. The person chosen to train with Pacquiao was the almost anonymous former UFC fighter Dashon Johnson.

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At 27 years old, Johnson has a modest record in mixed martial arts, with nine wins and two losses, both in his only fights for Ultimate. Interestingly, boxing is related to his dismissal from the largest MMA organization on the planet, motivated by his breach of his contract with the event by accepting a boxing fight at the last minute. In his last appearance in the octagon, “Fly Boy”, as he is known, came to Brasília (DF) in September last year to face the runner-up of TUF 1 Geoffrey Pepey and ended up finished with a triangle in the first round.

On the website “ESNews”, Dashon Johnson spoke about the emotion of sharing the ring with the legendary Filipino multi-champion during his preparation for the fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. “Honestly, it's a dream come true. I've been watching Manny for many years, I've seen him progress, and he has me in his camp training for what is unquestionably the biggest fight in history, honestly, it’s a blessing”, he celebrated.

Before it even happens, the duel between boxing stars Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is already the most lucrative fight ever promoted and, in the opinion of many, will be the biggest showdown in the history of combat sports. Scheduled for the MGM Grand Garden, on May 2nd, the duel will cost between US$1,5 (R$4,65 thousand) and US$7,5 (R$23,3 thousand). Anyone who wants to watch the match from home in the United States will have to pay the highest amount ever charged for a package pay-per-view, US$99 (R$307).