PACQUIAO RETURNS TO GRIFFITH PARK FOR LEG STRENGTH
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 16 Apr 2015
LOS ANGELES -- Whatever Manny wants, Manny gets.
And with rewards to boot.
"Manny can now be considered the boxer with the strongest legs," said Manny Pacquiao's conditioning coach in an interview with this writer Tuesday shortly before the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion's sparring session at the Wild Card Gym.
"And the fastest, too?, Fortune added. " I have to give Manny credit for insisting that he goes back to Griffith Park in the roadwork phase of his preparation.
Fortune was referring to the 4,511-acre and one of the largest municipal parks in North America and one of the the largest historical landmarks in this City of Angels.
Pacquiao and Mayweather will try to erase each other out on May 2 at the MGM Grand arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
"Thrice a week since his return, he has been scaling this eight-mile portion of the Santa Monica Mountains with an elevation of 1,830 feet in 48 to 54 minutes, which, to my belief, no boxer ever has done."
Pacquiao normally climbs the mountains from its feet at Los Feliz Blvd. to the peak at the famous Hollywood sign. He himself agreed with his conditioning guru, saying, "that really was my purpose in requesting them that my roadwork should be at Griffith at a frequency of three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday," he said.
Roadwork every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, days devoted also for sparring, will be at the Pan pacific Park. "Matagal ko nang ginagawa ito since I started fighting here in the U.S. while training here in L.A. "Talagang each time na tumakbo ako dito bago lumaban, feeling ko ang lakas talaga ng legs ko."
Pacquiao attributed his speed to his two-week stint at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) where he was asked by Fortune to climb sidewise alternately with his right and left foot.
"Nagkaroon ng kombinasyon kumbaga, both training regimen complemented each other. Kaya feeling ko talaga, wala nang tatalo sa akin sa lakas at bilis ng mga paa ko," he said.
Fortune disclosed though that this week, he will lessen the intensity at Griffith from 54 mins to, maybe, 45 to further his speed aimed at improving his ward's ability to cut the ring.
"Manny still needs to improve his footwork and lateral movement," he said. "Mayweather is good, especially in defense, we accept that.
"This is why we have to make Manny move fast to open the gate for counter-punching."
Sparring will also have to taper off and this chief trainer Freddie Roach started by slashing two rounds from the usual 12-round session to only 10 rounds Tuesday.
"Manny no longer needs more rounds in sparring," Fortune assessed. "In lieu of sparring, Freddie has devised a means to increase speed in his footwork."
All-in-all, Fortune said, the camp has practically covered all the bases going into the last two weeks here in L.A.
"Everything has been touched, that's why we are allowing Manny to choose what phase of the program will have to be lessened or increased. We are giving him option when to rest and when to go all-out."
Photos of Pacquiao training at Griffith Park by Wendell Rupert Alinea
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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