MANNY KNOWS
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 01 Oct 2016
Manny knows.
Chief trainer Freddie Roach, echoing the favorite slogan of fighting senator Manny Pacquiao, has been using in his 21-year professional career, last Thursday cancelled one of the most rigorous aspects of his ward's training regimen in an effort to prevent the eight-division champion from getting overworked.
"He knows, so when he asked me to dispense with working with the mitts, I readily consented," Roach told this writer when asked why Pacquiao went directly to he heavy bag and the speed ball right after six rounds of sparring with world-ranked junior-welterweight and local lightweight Leopoldo Doronio.
"That's the beauty of working with Manny, you don't have to feel your way around. He will tell you right away whether to do or not to do something you want him to do," the celebrated trainer said. "He knows when he's had enough and when he still lacks something,"
"That's the reason why both of us have endured each other in more than two decades of working together," Roach who just arrived last Tuesday to take over the management of preparations from assistant Buboy Fernandez, explained. "We complement each other."
Roach though said the situation now is different from the past years. "Manny is now a senator and has more responsibilities like attending sessions in the morning up to middle of the day then train for a fight from there till late evening. If that's not energy-sapping, I don't know what is."
Also cancelled was the scheduled roadwork being held daily at the posh Forbes Park in Makati City under strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune as a means to improve Pacquiao' leg speed and power.
Before Roach set foot in Manila, along with sparring partner Jose Ramirez, Pacquiao had already been in deep training for no less than a month with Buboy and fellow assistants Nonoy Neri and Roger "Haplas" Fernandez.
Pacquiao is seeking to reclaim the World Boxing Organization welterweight championship he held twice from current holder Jessie Vargas November 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
Meanwhile, Ramirez, still unbeaten in 18 fights with 12 KOs since turning pro four years ago, continued feeling Pacquiao's punching power and quickness in Thursday's four rounds of sparring.
"Manny's stronger and faster today, despite complaining of tiredness and body pains," Ramirez noted. "It's still some fours weeks left before the fight and I believe he will be a little bit more powerful and speedier."
Doronio, who sparred for two rounds shared Ramirez's observations, saying, "Ang bigat ng kamay ni Senator Manny at ang bilis. Hindi mo malaman kung saan nanggagaling ang suntok."
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