PACQUIAO?S MORALE IS HIGH (WITH PHOTOS)
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 31 Jan 2008
His nagging personal problems clearly behind him and with his charming wife Jinkee at his side in Los Angeles as he prepares to settle some "Unfinished Business" with WBC super featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez in Lad Vegas on May 15, Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao?s morale is "very good, it's high" according to close friend and confidant Rex "Wakee" Salud.
Salud said that Pacquiao "sleeps early" and there are "no more distractions." Viva Sports in fact learned that most often in the evenings after a hard day of training Pacquiao picks up his guitar and sings which is something he loves to do.
Broadcaster Hermie Rivera informed us that Pacquiao and Jinkee were guests of Los Angeles Lakers team owner Jerry Buss at the Lakers-Cleveland Cavaliers game at the Staples Center last Sunday and clearly enjoyed themselves since Pacquiao also plays basketball and likes the sport.
"Smooth as silk training is the usual fare at the Wild Card Gym" according to Rivera which also includes his assaults of the steep Griffith Park in LA.
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Pacquiao was looking very sharp and his work on the punch-mitts according to onlookers in the gym was awesome.
Roach doesn?t appear too keen on pushing Pacquiao to do too much sparring early even as he works with him in private on a fight-plan against Marquez.
Roach said he was drawing up a plan of how to attack the counter-punching strength of Marquez who is expected to go back to that style after demonstrating signs of aggression in his recent fights against Mexican legend Marco Antonio Barrera and challenger Rocky Juarez.
Barrera himself has picked Marquez to win claiming that his counter-punching skills and boxing ability will be too much for the Filipino ring warrior to handle. However, Erik "El Terrible" Morales who shot a San Miguel Beer commercial with Pacquiao and became firm friends after their classic trilogy picked Pacquiao to win primarily because of his speed.
Morales said Pacquiao will win other by a decision or knockout but that no matter what happens "the public will see a great fight."
Jinkee Pacquiao normally joins her husband a week before a big fight but this time around she?s there some two months before the March 15 rematch to show her concern, attend to his needs and support Manny all the way.
Photos show Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee at the Staples Center during a Lakers game.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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