Updating a previous report, sources have informed us that world-class strength & conditioning coach Alex Ariza was spotted at a local high school track yesterday in Las Vegas where he was working with WBC middleweight champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. When word reached us that Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach was on the outs in Chavez Jr.'s corner, it was unclear if Ariza was still working with him, especially when he was noticeably absent during a training session at Top Rank Gym.
According to our sources, however, Ariza will be pulling double duty, going back and forth between California and Las Vegas as he continues to prepare both Pacquiao and Chavez Jr. for their respective bouts. In contrast, Roach has decided to stay in California, where he remains focused on working with Pacquiao at the Wild Card Boxing Club even after his workload decreased now that Amir Khan's rematch with Lamont Peterson has been cancelled.
According to a Twitter post by ESPN's Bernardo Osuna, Roach informed him on Tuesday that he plans on reconnecting with Chavez Jr. when he arrives for fight week of Pacquiao vs. Bradley, which will be approximately 2 weeks before Chavez Jr. steps into the ring to face Andy Lee. Our sources, however, maintains that a reunion between Roach and Team Chavez will not be taking place.
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