Pacquiao is doing a 'Rocky Marciano' style of workout
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 27 Jun 2018
GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- Manny Pacquiao entered the final three weeks of his preparation for his coming fight with World Boxing Association welterweight kingpin Lucas ?La Maquina? Matthysse Monday by working on a "Rocky Marciano" kind of workout in testing his leg power and endurance.
The eight-division world champion challenges the Argentine titlist for the latter?s 147-pound plum July 15 at the Axiata Arena in the Malaysian Capital City of Kuala Lumpur.
Instead of working on his ritual morning run at the Acharon Sports Complex oval here, the soon-to-be 40-year-old ring warrior decided to scale the treacherous 950-feet above sea level highway of Maasim in the nearby Sarangani Province before an awed and appreciative crowd that included his worried handlers.
?We didn?t expect him to do that,? a still visibly nervous chief trainer Buboy Fernandez told this writer in Tagalog later in the day while preparing for the regular indoor activities at the Pacman Wild Card Gym.
?Nag-paalam sa amin, susubukan daw how far he has developed his leg power and stamina nya so, pinayagan namin dahil ginagawa naman nya lagi yun although not that high,? Pacquiao?s childhood friend said.
Boxing great and Philippine Senator Manny Pacquiao and members of his training team climb the lung-busting steep hills at the Safi Ranch in Sitio Seguil Maasim, Sarangani.
?But hindi naman namin akalain doon sa pinakamatarik na bahaging iyon ng bundok nya te-testingin ang lakas ng paa nya at lasting power,? Buboy said.
?Maigsi lang naman ang stretch, baka wala pang limang kilometro, napakatulis nga ng taas, mas matarik pa kesa Kennon Road,? he attested.
?Marami kaming nagsimula sa paanan ng bundok pero nang makarating sa summit, iilan na lang ang kasama ni Manny nang matapos,? he narrated shaking his head although smiling.
?Ang maganda lang sa nangyari, nakita namin na husto na ang tatag ng mga paa nya na tatagal anuman ang mangyari sa laban,? he assured.
"Bottom line is, Manny is doing everything just to get in tip-top for this fight. He acually fell short of cutting trees on the mountains like Rocky Marciano used to do during his time," Buboy recalled.
Manny Pacquiao (R) spars with Australia George Kambosos.
"But you never can say if one day he decides to work on that too, he ... he," he said jestingly. "Hindi na namin papayagan. Kumpleto na siya sa departamentong yun eh."
Later in the day as in his regular daily routine, Pacquiao and his training team, including strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune and assistant trainers Ninoy Neri, Haplas Fernandez, Nonito Donaire Sr., Ting Ariosa, Dodie ?Boy? Penalosa and Jonathan Penalosa worked the lower end of the day?s load at the Pacman Wild Card Gym.
Although the schedule called for a relatively lighter gym regimen, the afternoon workout turned out as rigid and tough for an ordinary fighter not named Manny Pacquiao as he and Buboy engaged in a spirited fast-paced, 10 rounds with the mitts.
?Manny had just passed the test for his leg power and endurance with flying colors, this time, he, likewise, had to be tested on how fast he can throw combinations shots in bunches of four up to as many as eight punches,? Fortune said of the routine.
?He passed the test, too, and was even giving and asking Buboy for more at the end of every round,? he observed. ?As I have been saying, fighting Lucas is no joke. To beat Lucas, Manny should really be on top of his game."
"And he's on track. Very mjuch on the way to attaining that," Fortune projected.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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