“I went to Philippines to train boxing,” UFC star Song Yadong reveals training with coach of Manny Pacquiao ahead of Petr Yan fight

Song Yadong trains with Manny Pacquiao's boxing coach ahead of his fight with Petr Yan.

“I went to Philippines to train boxing,” UFC star Song Yadong reveals training with coach of Manny Pacquiao ahead of Petr Yan fight

Song Yadong trained with Manny Pacquiao's coach ahead of his UFC 299 fight with Petr Yan (via Instagram)

Song Yadong will fight former bantamweight champion Petr Yan in the stacked fight card of UFC 299. Coming from “Team Alpha Male,” Yadong placed himself as one of the best strikers in the 135lbs division. Now, the Chinese fighter sought out the help of Manny Pacquiao’s boxing coach, Penalosa Jonathan, to refine his striking prowess.

In a recent interview, Song Yadong revealed he had only stayed in China for a few days after his previous win. Yadong reasoned he had to fly to the Philippines to train under Penalosa Jonathan, one of Manny Pacquiao’s coaches. Here is what the Chinese fighter said:

I went to Philippines to train boxing with (Manny) Pacquiao’s coach for five days. That was amazing, I really enjoy that. Very good, very cool.

Song Yadong told James Lynch
YouTube video

Earlier, Song Yadong vs. Petr Yan almost headlined a fight night card in China. But, it never materialized, and Yan pulled out of the fight citing an injury. As such, the UFC moved the China fight card to the Apex, Las Vegas, and matched Yadong with Chris Gutierrez.

FS Video

Song Yadong won the fight with Chris Gutierrez in dominant fashion and once again called Petr Yan for a fight. As such, the UFC rebooked them for UFC 299. Yan is currently on a three-fight losing skid, making him a dangerous fighter who would look to bounce back.

Song Yadong previews his fight with Petr Yan and promises an explosive fight

Song Yadong was a surging contender in the bantamweight division who looked to compete for the title soon. As such, standing in his way was the former champion Petr Yan. Although ‘No Mercy’ lost his recent fights, he was a highly credited striker in the 135lbs division. As such, it would be a tough fight for the Chinese prospect. However, Yadong looked confident and believed in himself.

Song Yadong previews his fight with Petr Yan
Song Yadong previews his fight with Petr Yan (via The Fight Site/Oddschecker)

In his recent interview with James Lynch, Song Yadong previewed his fight with Petr Yan. As such, he promised it would be an explosive fight, considering they were high-level strikers. Moreover, he expressed his wish to face Yan in a stand-up war and claimed he had better boxing than him. However, he was open to mixing other aspects as well.

Song Yadong, who was predominantly a striker, surprised everyone with his wrestling skills in his previous fight. However, he wanted to face Petr Yan in a stand-up. Known for his technical boxing, Petr Yan also excelled in the striking department. As such, fans are highly awaited for this matchup. This fight goes down in March as the main card opener of UFC 299 at the Kesayas Center in Miami.

In case you missed it: