PACQUIAO OPENS CAMP FOR HORN FIGHT
By Eddie Alinea of Spin.ph
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 10 May 2017
It took World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao only five rounds of hitting the mitts Monday to remove the rust brought about by six months of ring activities following his last fight.
The Pambansang Kamao, likewise, did two rounds each at the heavy bag, double end ball and speed ball under the watchful eyes of assistant trainers Buboy Fernandez, Roger ?Buboy? Fernandez and Nonoy Neri.
Monday?s three-hour training session held at the posh Elorde Gym inside the Mall of Asia commercial complex, started Pacquiao?s nine-week preparation program to fine tune him up for his coming titular showdown with Australian Jeff Horn set July 2 in Brisbane.
It wasn?t the red carpet kind of routine spectators would have wanted him to dish out, but it was, according to the 147-pound belt owner himself, enough to bring him back to the atmosphere he?s been accustomed to the past 22 years of his pro-career.
Enough, too, to show boxing fans he?s still at it and he?s not at all taking lightly his coming 12-round encounter with his former schoolteacher contender.
?Well, balik ring na tayo," exclaimed the eight-division titlist to a handful of reporters on hand to cover the session at the air-conditioned arena named after the late Filipino longest reigning word junior-lightweight champion Gabriel ?Flash? Elorde.
?Indeed, being atop the ring give me a wonderful feeling. Parang dagdag na adrenaline sa katawan ko,? he said.
?As I have been telling you media people, hindi tayo nagpapabaya at lalong hindi ko tini-take for granted ang makakalaban ko. To all boxing fans, lalo na sa mga kababayan natin na inabutan nang inip kung kalian ako magisimulang mag-ensayo hunihingi ako ng pasensya," the father of five to former Sarangani Voce Gov. wife Jinkee said.
?Alam na naman ninyo na bukod sa pagiging boksingero ay pinagkatiwalaan din ninyo akong magsilbi sa inyo bilang mambabatas na ginagampanan ko naman ng abot sa aking makakaya,? Pacquiao added.
?Naging napaka-busy naming sa senado nitong kare-resume lang ng session. Committee hearing sa umaga, session sa hapon hanggang gabi. But now medyo light na ang schedule namin kaya puwede nang seryosuhin ang ensayo,? he explained.
?Huwag sana kayong magalaala, gaya nag dati, sisikapin kong muling manalo. Laban pa rin tayo. Para sa inyo pa rin ang labang ito,? he vowed.
Two more rounds each of shadow boxing and skipping rope, 10 minutes of abdominal exercises plus the traditional five-minute of prayer completed the day?s work that also included 45 minutes of early morning roadwork inside the Forbes Park compound.
?Okay naman si Manny. Konting kalawang lang at konti ring mantika sa katawan ang dapat tanggalin,? boyhood friend and former neighbor at Barangay Labangal in General Santo City-turned assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez assessed of his ward.
?Nabuhay si Manny sa boksing . Nasa dugo na nya yan, kaya wala akong nakikitang problema sa madali nyang recovery. One week lang at makikita ninyo, parang gusto na niyang lumaban uli,? he said, drawing concurrence from Roger Fernandez, his younger brother, and Neri.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea of Spin.ph.
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