PACQUIAO BACK IN TRAINING TODAY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 10 Sep 2007
After a whirlwind visit to Manila where he switched networks and signed up with GMA 7 to do a couple of entertainment shows besides the telecast of his rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera which Solar Sports will air on the network on October 6, Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao took the private plane of Ilocos Sur governor Luis ?Chavit? Singson to return to Cebu.
Meantime. trainer extraordinaire Freddie Roach and Filipino trainer Restituto ?Buboy? Fernandez visited Bohol as guests of popular sportsman, Mayor Dan Neri Lim for a quick tour of some of the provinces enchanting tourist spots. They were scheduled to return to Cebu last night to prepare for the next phase of Pacquiao?s training for the much-awaited rematch with legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera in Las Vegas on October 6.
Even Pacquiao?s wife Jinkee told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that she had left for their hometown of General Santos City so that her husband could be totally focused in his training.
Chief-of-Staff Jake Joson who stayed behind Cebu said Roach had made it absolutely clear that beginning Monday (today) no visitors will be allowed in the RWS Gym while Pacquiao steps up a critical phase of his training for the Barrera showdown.
There were problems last Friday when some twenty five fans had been issued passes to enter Rex ?Wakee? Salud?s gym to the consternation of Roach who immediately had the gym shut down and the fans escorted out. Roach said he is not prepared to take any chances at this point in Pacquiao?s preparation although he okayed his ward?s decision to fly to Manila to sign a contract with GMA 7 to do some entertainment shows and for telecast of the rematch with Barrera.
Pacquiao was in a good mood and all smiles after the signing, pointing out that ?my family means everything to me and everything I do is for them? even as he said he will continue to fight for the pride of his country and millions of fans saying ?I want to make them happy.?
He was welcomed to the GMA 7 family by popular star Joey De Leon and later met an ageing fan who had wanted to meet his idol. Pacquiao gave him some gift bags and autographed a set of gloves for him even as the fan extolled Manny?s virtues as a world class fighter. Prior to taking the return flight Pacquiao appeared on the popular Sunday afternoon entertainment show SOP.
Pacquiao is expected to pick up his sparring and is go twelve rounds with talented Mexicans Raymund Beltran and David Rodela and tough Filipinos Arnel Tinampay and Aaron Melgerejo Monday after a speed run at the IT park opposite the Waterfront Hotel where Team Pacquiao is billeted.
Barrera was meantime also stepping up his training with undefeated WBA champion Edwin Valero joining his retinue of sparring partners in an effort to approximate the speed and power of Pacquiao.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Crawford Not the First Lightweight to Distinguish Himself at Super Middleweight
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Tue, 16 Sep 2025SAMBO Pilipinas is Southern NSA of the Year 2025
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 16 Sep 2025Kingsley “The Black Lion” Ibeh To headline historic “Legacy Nights” Inaugural Pro Boxing event in El Salvador
Tue, 16 Sep 2025Smarts over power
By Joaquin Henson, Tue, 16 Sep 2025HALL OF FAME FLIES FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR TWO-DIVISION CHAMPION RICKY HATTON
Tue, 16 Sep 2025Kazakhstan tops the medal table at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 thanks to victory in the final bout of the competition
Tue, 16 Sep 2025THRILLA IN MANILA GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY 13: JOE FRAZIER’S HUMBLE BEGINNINGS AS AN AMATEUR FIGHTER
By Maloney L. Samaco, Mon, 15 Sep 2025A New King, A New Challenger: Turki Alalshikh Proposes Crawford-Benavidez While Canelo Alvarez Faces Defeat with Humility
By Dong Secuya, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Highly Questionable Title Eliminator
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Earns Silver Medal at Inaugural World Boxing Championships
Mon, 15 Sep 202521-year-old Filipino wins at Germany rapid chess tournament
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Nagoya Nightmare: Naoya Inoue Notches One-Sided Decision over Murodjon Akhmadaliev
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Inoue’s Philippine Connection: Which Pinoy Super Bantamweight Could Challenge “The Monster?”
By Carlos Costa, Mon, 15 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez Advances to the Finals at the World Boxing Championships Perez Set to Face Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao-Wen Huang for 54-Kilogram World Title
Mon, 15 Sep 2025Canelo Gets Outboxed, Loses Undisputed Title to Crawford
By Carlos Costa, Sun, 14 Sep 2025