Freddie Roach claims to have a “secret weapon” that’ll help Manny Pacquiao prepare for Floyd Mayweather but hasn’t released the name of this training partner.
Well after reading between the lines of his statements and doing some other investigating all signs point toward former TMT member, and son of ex-heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, Sharif Rahman.
Sharif is a 19-year old member of team USA boxing but had grown up training in Mayweather’s gym in Las Vegas until things went sour last Fall. Sharif and his older brother sued Mayweather for embarrassing them on his ‘All-Access’ show and forcing them to spar for long periods of time.
Here’s the gist of the lawsuit according to ESPN.com:
During the second episode, which aired on Sept. 6, there were scenes that included Sharif Rahman taking a serious beating from amateur Donovan Cameron during a sparring session at the Mayweather Boxing Club in Las Vegas while Mayweather watched.
Upset that his brother had taken such a vicious pounding, Hasim Rahman Jr. arrived at the gym and challenged the smaller Cameron to get into the ring with him. While members of the gym lined up wagers, including Mayweather, they fought for 31 consecutive minutes, according to the telecast and lawsuit, until Cameron could not go on. All the while, Mayweather was present and cheering wildly.
The suit alleges that “Mayweather forced Sharif to fight multiple rounds of approximately 5, 6 and 7 minutes in length.” Sharif contends that he asked for traditional three-minute rounds but Mayweather said “this is the doghouse” and to “turn those bells off.”
After a bystander told Sharif he should leave the ring, the suit alleges that Mayweather responded by telling Cameron and others that “if Sharif left the ring to beat his ass outside the ring.”
“Sharif feared for his safety and was forced to continue to fight,” the suit said.
According to the suit, Sharif Rahman suffered injuries during the sparring that were bad enough that he had to seek medical attention.
The lawsuit contends that neither Rahman brother was asked to sign a release to allow their names or likenesses to be used in the show and that, as a result of their sparring being aired they “have suffered mental anguish and embarrassment.”
Freddie Roach hinted that his “secret weapon” was a fighter once scorned by Mayweather:
I brought some great young kids to box, I’ve got too many actually. I got six really good guys that all look like Mayweather and I have one that I’m gonna use in the last two weeks is one that used to work at Mayweather’s gym and was part of Mayweather’s camp. He does the style really well, he’s my secret weapon right now, he’s my secret weapon right now. He’s staying at my house, we talk about strategy all night long, we watch film all night long and he said that Mayweather had disrespected him and they kind of just threw him aside, so I took him on.
What a better way then prepare for a bigger fighter than facing a young Rahman? His length, size, and power should all be greater than a 38-year old Floyd Mayweather and training with the both Floyd Sr. and Roger for years obviously gives him a vast knowledge of Floyd’s style.
Sherif hasn’t posted on Instagram in two weeks, so it’s difficult to know exactly where he’s been but his Twitter had some subtweets that leave us open to the possibility.
Below Rahman tweets about backstabbing and people being untrustworthy:
Then yesterday he drops this Drake-ish gem on the timeline hinting that he’s keeping a secret:
That’s followed shortly by him tweeting about the new car he wants to buy:
I know his father was a world champion and all but I highly doubt a 19 year-old is dropping major money on a ‘fire emoji’ car unless he just came up on some good money.
Freddie Roach is great at playing things close to the vest and we won’t know who the secret weapon is until he’s in the ring sparring with Pacquiao in late-April but we can say that you shouldn’t be surprised to see Sharif walk into the gym in head-gear.
