Pacquiao starts Baguio grind
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 19 Apr 2012
BAGUIO CITY ? Six rounds of punching the mitts with chief trainer Freddie Roach and a 15-minute roadwork at the scenic Burnham Park opened Manny Pacquiao?s fine-tuning regimen yesterday here.
The World Boxing Organization welterweight champion was still far from being in competitive shape but he showed his old form despite staying away from boxing for five-month following his last fight against Juan Manuel Marquez November last year.
The power in both his fists were there, as well as the lightning speed in his feet that Roach himself could not help but expressed amazement in what her saw the first time they were atop the ring together for a long time.
?Now I believe in what I?ve been hearing that Manny, indeed, has been working out in the province the past several weeks,? Roach, who only a day before last Tuesday admitted he had no inkling on what the camp would go until such time he meets Pacquiao in person.
?I don?t know how hard the preparations would be because I haven?t seen Manny since I arrive in the country some two weeks ago, ? Roach confided to this writer Tuesday, the day Pacquiao and his team was scheduled to show up at the Shape Up Gym inside the Cooyeesan Hotel, how official camp while training at the Pines City.
?As I have been saying, we?ll have to work?. work ?.and work hard as soon as we open shop. Now I would say that it wouldn?t be as hard as I imagine we would go,? he said. ?The early start (in Manila and later in General Santos City) really makes it easy for us here in Baguio,? the Hall of Fame trainer said.
Another good news is the 52-year-old Roach expects none of the distractions that marked Pacquiao?s preparations before as the Filipino ring icon has undergone a self-imposed change in his lifestyle. Not even the champ?s new bible-preaching advocacy.
?I have no problem with that. At least God is with him now. Well, as long as God doesn?t tell him to stop punching,? Roach, a self-confessed Catholic, said rather jokingly.
Yesterday?s session included several rounds on heavy bag, double end ball and speed ball and capped with the usual conditioning exercises under the watchful eyes of stamina-builder Alex Ariza.
The frequency in every aspect of the regimen will increase as the days gone so that by the time training shifts to sparring early next week, everything would be in place, according to Roach.
Russian welterweight prospect Rusian Provodnikov is scheduled to arrive Monday and will be Pacquiao?s mate in sparring in the entire duration of the Baguio Camp which will last on the eve of the team?s departure to Los Angeles May 5.
Original plan was to have Pacquiao to complete 30 rounds with the mitts by the end of the week. But since the former pound-for-pound king?s arrival here was delayed for two days, Roach said they can only complete about 20 to 24 rounds till Friday.
Pacquiao?s party, including assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez, who oversaw his training in General Santos, set foot in this, the country?s summer capital, near midnight Tuesday although Roach was expecting him to report at Shape Up earlier in the morning the same day.
It turned out the 33-yerar-old Sarangani Congressman had to attend to several commitments as a lawmaker, including his oath-taking as member of Vice President Jojo Binay?s PDP-Laban Party that lasted late Monday night.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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