PACQUIAO BREAKS L.A. CAMP AND HEADS TO LAS VEGAS MONDAY
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 27 Apr 2015
LOS ANGELES, Cal. -- After completing 57 days in and out of his training camp here in this city of Angels, World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao drives to Las Vegas Monday (Tuesday in Manila) where he will be confronting American Floyd Mayweather Jr. in an epic encounter five days from now.
The 36-yer-old Filipino superhero leaves for the site of the welterweight unification showdown with the unbeaten holder of the World Boxing Council and World Boxing Association 147-pound division titles armed with what his handlers claimed are needed arsenal to deal Money May his first defeat in 48 fights and be declared the undisputed kingpin in his class.
Plus, of course, the honor of joining Fighter of the Century Sugar Ray Robinson, legendary prizefighters Muhammad Ali, Joe Louis, Joe Frazier and Henry Armstrong, among others, in the elite list of ?Greatest? boxers of all-time.
According to his Hall of Fame chief trainer Freddie Roach, the eight-division world titleholder would have completed no less than 118 rounds of sparring, counting the four he will be doing Monday before departing, against no less than eight sparmates, whose styles resemble both the defensive and offensive forte of Mayweather, which, he added, are enough to shatter the latter?s immaculate 47-0 win-loss record.
Following the remaining days of training prior to the big fight, assistant trainer Roger ?Haplas? Fernandez swore Pacquiao would have logged 1,200 minutes of roadwork at the mountainous Griffith Hills and the flat Pan Pacific Park circuit here.
Count the 50 or so rounds in heavy bags, double-end and speed balls and conditioning floor exercises, the husband of the Sarangani Vice Gov. Jinkee, is, indeed, ready and ripe to rumble for as many as 20 rounds in the squared jungle of the MGM Grand Arena inside the posh MGM Garden Hotel.
The father of three boys ? Jimwell, Michael and Baby Israel and two girls, Princess and Queennie ? has proclaimed himself as to have survived the rigor of the build up regimen charted by Roach and conditioning guru Justin Fortune and ably implemented by members of the training staff ? Buboy Fernandez, Nonoy Neri, Haplas and Marvin Somodio.
?I have been in deep training for the past three months, including some four weeks in GenSan (General Santos City) and I believe we?ve attained the target we aimed to accomplish," Pacquiao, who is also the first man in the history of boxing to own four world lineal titles said.
?Actually, last week pa lamang ready na talaga ako,? he added. The remaining days of preparations in Las Vegas para ma-maintan na lang whatever we had just attained,? he said. ?Kahit bukas puwede na tayong lumaban.?
Preparations resume Tuesday in Las Vegas with the shortened 30 to 40 minutes morning run at a privately-owned oval, according to Fortune in lieu of the traditional Grand Arrival ceremony, which was canceled.
He will repeat the routine Wednesday before resting on Thursday in preparation for the official weigh-in Friday, the eve of the fight.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao made a pitch for Filipina Mary Jane Veloso, a convicted drug mule in Indonesia who is facing death penalty via firing squad.
In a statement addressed to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the Sarangani Congressman begged for an executive clemency to save the life of Ms. Veloso and sparing her from execution.
?Mr. President, on May 2, I will be fighting in Las Vegas, Nevada, against Floyd Mayweather Jr., which is considered the
fight of the century,? Pacquiao?s statement, made on the behest of the family of Veloso, said.
?It will be a great morale booster if, in my own little way, I can save a life. I am dedicating this fight to my country and the entire Asian people to where the Philippines and Indonesia belong,? the statement, aired live over GMA 7, said.
Top photo: The Pacquiao bus that will take some of Pacquiao's entourage to Las Vegas on afternoon.
Pacquiao makes an appeal to Indonesian president Joko Widodo over Philippine TV network GMA 7.
Photos by Windell Rupert Alinea.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Rodrigo to challenge undefeated Sandoval in US
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 23 Aug 2025Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimàn: Call to Action 12 Items for Boxers' Safety
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Fri, 22 Aug 2025Libranza vs Pangga headlines Elorde card on Aug 24
By Lito delos Reyes, Fri, 22 Aug 2025GM Antonio to compete in P100,000 top prize Rapid chessfest this Sunday in Roxas City, Capiz Province
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 22 Aug 2025AISAT Basic Ed football training starts
By Kim delos Reyes-Teves, Fri, 22 Aug 2025Josh Navarro Scores Another Win in Pomona, California
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 22 Aug 2025UNDEFEATED CRIZTIAN PITT LAURENTE SET TO FACE HEBI MARAPU FOR IBF PAN PACIFIC TITLE
Fri, 22 Aug 2025Dare To Enter: Undefeated WBC Interim Champion Vergil Ortiz to Defend Super Welterweight Title From Number 1 Contender Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin
Fri, 22 Aug 2025Euri Cedeno Takes on Willie Jones on Friday, September 5th at Wind Creek Event Center in Bethlehem, PA
Fri, 22 Aug 2025COE AND HART CLASH ON BOOTS ENNIS CARD IN PHILADELPHIA
Thu, 21 Aug 2025‘There's nothing that he brings to the table that I've not got an answer for’ Sam Rennie on upcoming fight at Thunderdome 51
Thu, 21 Aug 2025JAMAINE "THE TECHNICIAN" ORTIZ TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 21 Aug 2025Gervonta Davis vs. Jake Paul: Exhibition Bout Announced for November
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Thu, 21 Aug 2025Legendary boxing coach John Brown Compares cornering Tommy Morrison & Rising young star Marco Romero
Thu, 21 Aug 2025World Kid to Host Meet-and-Greet and Open Workouts In advance of “The Return” on August 31 in Detroit
Thu, 21 Aug 2025