Manny Pacquiao sparring partner Lazaro Lorenzana will now fight on his card

Lazaro Lorenzana learned a lot from sparring Manny Pacquiao and will now fight on a card promoted by the Filipino fighting legend.

On Friday, April 3, Lorenzana, 19-0 (13 KOs), will face Esneiker Correa in a 10-round middleweight bout at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California. 

He can recall sparring with Pacquiao at 18 years old, when brought into Pacquiao’s camp ahead of his fight with Keith Thurman in 2019. 

“Oh man, I was nervous,” Lorenzana, 26, told BoxingScene. “I was like, I am sparring a senator from the Philippines and a legend.”

After the first round of sparring, Lorenzana had already learned an invaluable lesson. 

“I came back to my corner, [and thought] he is just another human,” Lorenzana said. “It taught me a lot that day.”

Since that day Lorenzana has sparred Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Antonio Margarito. He is unique in the sense that he proudly represents both San Diego, California, where he was born, and Tijuana, Mexico. He has trained in Tijuana since he was 13, crossing the border by weekly train with Javier Cortes, better known as “Drift.” Lorenzana now splits time between two trainers. Cortes runs the camp, and he trains with him on Tuesday and Thursday, while on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays Lorenzana is in Riverside, California, with Henry Ramirez. 

“A lot of coaches nowadays get jealous; they only want one trainer, but my coach is happy to work with other trainers, since it helps you with your confidence,” Lorenzana said. “It gives different styles and different experiences. Every coach has something different.”

Correa, a Venezuelan with a record of 16-6-3 (14 KOs), is coming off two draws, including a split draw to Eric Priest on a Golden Boy Promotions card. The 27-year-old might not be a contender, but he is a tough gatekeeper and someone Lorenzana hopes to look good against. Lorenzana has made it clear his goal is to fight for a world title; something he hopes he can achieve by the end of the year. 

“Nobody is making any noise in the middleweight division,” he said. “It is quiet.”