PACQUIAO PLAYS BASKETBALL, RESUMES TRAINING MONDAY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 02 Sep 2007
CEBU CITY - After recovering from a brief bout with the flu, Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao plans to resume training at the RWS Gym of close friend Rex “Wakee” Salud tomorrow (Monday) but to the surprise if not conseternation of trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao ignored the doctor's orders and played basketball late Sunday morning.
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today at a dinner for the World Cup boxers hosted by renowned boxing patron Tony Aldeguer and his charming wife Lou and family at their wonderful home here, that Pacquiao wanted to work out Saturday but both he and attending physician Dr. Hans Potpot said “no way.”
Roach said at the dinner Saturday that Pacquiao was “resting” but that his prized fighter had called him in the morning at 6:30 saying he “wanted to run and I told him to stay in bed. Then he called me a little later and said can we go to the gym today, I said no, you get some rest. Tomorrow (Sunday) you want to get out a little bit we will go for a walk and we'll get back at it, training on Monday.”
Roach said he had Dr. Potpot come back and check him out again. The doctor reported that Pacquiao's “fever was down and he's feeling a lot better” with Roach expressing the hope that “we should be over this by Monday.”
The two-time “Trainer of the Year” said that if Pacquiao is able to resume training on Monday “we haven't lost much. A couple of days off actually the way he's been working might be the best thing for him. We are pushing hard and working hard and running then hills and sparring and so forth, so he's right on schedule and this shouldn't put us back at all.”
Roach said that from now on “with a little good luck, no injuries in sparring and the roadwork he's been doing on the Alta Vista golf course road is a great endurance run and I am really happy where he is at now.” The trainer noted that Mexican sparring partners David Rodela and Raymund Beltran who fell ill earlier were doing well and with the two Filipino sparring partners “its going to work out okay.”
Roach continued to try his best to clamp down on unnecessary visitors. He said that on Saturday morning there were around 20 hangers-on waiting in the Waterfront lobby and in exasperation wanted to know “what are these comedians doing here? Waiting for what?”
He stressed that the doctor wanted Pacquiao to come in contact with as few people as possible so he doesn't suffer a relapse which would then really hurt his training schedule. Dr. Potpot also ruled out plans for Pacquiao to fly to Manila to participate in a GMA 7 television entertainment show on Sunday telling Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today “no, no. He cant fly to Manila and back.”
When we checked with Roach at 10:00 a.m. Sunday whether they had gone for the planned walk he said “I am waiting for Manny. He is still sleeping.” To his surprise and without his knowledge Pacquiao played a game of basketball late morning against the Cebu media. Emmanuel Villaruel of The Freeman told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that originally Pacquiao's teammates told him Manny wouldn't play but “shortly before the game started he put on his basketball uniform and played the entire game.” However, Villaruel said he didn't play hard. After the game Pacquiao returned to his hotel suite.
Informed of Pacquiao's ignoring both the Dr. Potpot's orders and his own instructions Roach said “I am going up to his room right now to have a talk with him.” The trainer may not show it but he is getting increasingly concerned with the risks Pacquiao is taking playing basketball and having too many people around him. Doctors have told us that if Pacquiao unfortunately suffers a relapse it would debilitate him and certainly set back his training program.
Shortly before 2:00 p.m. Roach called to say he had spoken to Pacquiao who told him he “didnt'play and only ran up and down the court.” Roach said “right now he is taking a walk on the beach with his wife.”
A top class HBO crew headed by George Jacovic who spent three days here in Cebu capturing Pacquiao's roadwork, workouts in the gym and other activities in preparation for the fight failed to get footage of his sparring because Pacquiao was forced to cancel his Friday workout. However, Jacovic said they were able to interview Pacquiao and his wife Jinkee who, Jacovic said was “great.” The material is for an HBO countdown special leading to Pacquiao's rematch with legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera on October 6 in Las Vegas.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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