'ONE MORE ROUND' EXPECTED TO GIVE HELL TO BARRERA
By Salven L. Lagumbay
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 25 Aug 2007
CEBU CITY--As if he weren't working hard enough in the gym, there's a phrase that has seemed to have stuck everytime Manny Pacquiao works out here that is expected to ultimately give Marco Antonio Barrera little breathing space when they meet again on October 6.
"One more round!" Pacquiao would repeatedly exhort trainers Freddie Roach and Buboy Fernandez, asking that he be allowed a round or two or three more in whatever he is doing at the Rex 'Wakee' Salud Gym here.
"Yan naman talaga ang mahirap sa kanya eh. Ang hirap pigilan yan kung mag train na," confided Fernandez to this writer yesterday, after Pacquiao insisted that he be allowed to do more after logging in six rounds of sparring against his two Mexican sparmates.
Pacquiao again asked for one more round when he cooled down by shadow-boxing in front of Roach after doing several minutes at the speedball and skipping rope.
Asked if he's worried about Pacquiao's tendency to overtrain, Roach just shrugged it off and said everything is fine.
"I always allow him to do that. I make sure it's within what's reasonable," Roach would explain.
During yesterday's sparring, Pacquiao almost knocked down Raymundo Beltran in the opening round with a left hook to the face, and momentarily stopped the Mexican with a shot to the body in the second round. Pacquiao toyed with him in the third, after which David Rodela took over.
Rodela proved to be a more difficult target, apparently having adjusted already with the time change being the first one to arrive in the Philippines. Pacquiao allowed Rodela to hit his midsection for most of the three-round session, but toyed with the Mexican in the third and final round.
"Eveytime Pacquiao hits me, I feel like I'm hit by an earthquake," Rodela would say. "Good thing the Filipinas think I'm handsome, in fact, I have a date to catch later. Me and Beltran have two dates later, they work in the restaurant of Waterfront Hotel. That's our consolation," said Rodela.
Top photo: Pacquiao (L) gives David Rodela a hook in the body.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Salven L. Lagumbay.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Paul vs. Chavez Jr: Can Julio Derail Jake Paul?
By Chris Carlson, Sat, 28 Jun 2025Dr. KO: Christian Mbilli Stops Maciej Sulecki in 1
Sat, 28 Jun 2025GOLDEN BOY SIGNS UNDEFEATED MIDDLEWEIGHT BLUE-CHIP PROSPECT AMARI JONES
Sat, 28 Jun 2025Paul vs. Chávez Jr. is a Go: All Fighters Make Weight in Anaheim Ahead of High-Stakes Bout
Sat, 28 Jun 2025IIEE Chessmasters Overall Champion in the International Bundesliga with GM Joey Antonio
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 28 Jun 2025Kittipong of Thailand Battles Bhavesh of India in Brico Santig's Exciting Show in Bangkok
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 28 Jun 2025Weights from Philadelphia
Sat, 28 Jun 2025Alekhine Nouri and John Jerish Velarde struck gold and bronze
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 28 Jun 2025Would OKC Still Win the West If Dallas Had Not Traded Doncic?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 27 Jun 2025Asenso Ozamis Open chess tournament on July 12 and 13
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 27 Jun 2025MOST VALUABLE PROMOTIONS’ JAKE PAUL VS. JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES
Fri, 27 Jun 2025Guro Dan Inosanto: Guardian of the Filipino Fighting Spirit
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Fri, 27 Jun 2025Weigh-In Results: Christian Mbilili vs. Maciej Sulecki
Fri, 27 Jun 2025Unbeaten Philippines Top Prospect Criztian Pitt Laurente Signs with Sanman Boxing
Fri, 27 Jun 2025SALITA PROMOTIONS SIGNS PROMISING AMERICAN HEAVYWEIGHT SARDIUS SIMMONS
Fri, 27 Jun 2025