PACQUIAO STARTS SPARRING SESSIONS
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 27 Apr 2012
BAGUIO CITY ? What was expected as routine sparring session turned a bruising skirmish as both Manny Pacquiao and sparring mate Ruslan Provodnikov ended their four-round encounter gasping for breath.
What prevented anyone from busting his nose or break a bone were the protecting devices on their heads and under the belt. The 28-year-old Provodnikov had a little mouse under his right eye after tasting the World Boxing Organization welterweight champion?s crispy left hooks and thunderous rights in the third and fourth round.
Pacquiao himself was recipient of strong right counters ala-Tim Bradley, also in the third and fourth rounds even as heaped praises on his Russian mate, who looks and throws punches like a bull.
For a man who tasted his first time atop the ring with an opponent after a five-month inactivity following an unimpressive outing against Juan Manuel Marquez last November, chief trainer Freeid Roach was all smile as he guided Pacquiao to the heavy bag after the sparring session.
The Russian?s last fight was last Jan. 29 when he stopped David Torres sin the sixth round.
?Not bad. Manny?s right requesting to start the sparring two days earlier. Now we know what he still lacks and how we can solve them,? Roach said.
Provodnikov, broad-shouldered and bigger in appearance also looked heavier at 147-pound although assistant trainer Nonoy Neri said the eight-division champion weighed not that far.
?Wala naming 150 si Manny, siguro nasa 148 or 149,? Neri said drawing concurrence from fellow assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez.
?He?s very good. Malakas,? Kasing-style ni Bradley,?Pacquiao himself attested in reference to world junior-welterweight kingpin Timothy against whom he will be staking his 147-pound crown June 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
?Hindi tayo nagkamali ng pagpili ng sparring partner. Pakikinabangan natin siya,? he added.
Pacquiao completed the day?s workout with three rounds in heavy bag, two rounds each in double end ball, two rounds in speed bag and three rounds skipping rope.
?Okay lang ako. Tama lang ang pag-start ng sparring two days earlier., he said. ?Magand nga napaaga ang pagbawas ng kalawang. Kung sa Sabado pa (the original day that sparring would start) baka magkumahog sa bandang huli.?
Some 200 fans, including Pacquiao?s wife Jinkee, her retinue of 15, and the boxer?s fellow Congressman Bernardo Vergara, who is representing the Pines City in the Lower House, crowded the Shape Up gym waiting and watching their idol fighting atop the ring anew.
Sparring resumes Saturday with another four rounds before increasing the frequency Monday, the start of the camp?s last week of high-altitude training here.
Team Pacquiao is scheduled to return back to Manila after training session Thursday. Preparation resumes Friday and Saturday next week . at the Manny Pacquiao Gym along Paquitsa Street in Sampaloc.
The team flies out of Manila Saturday night heading to Los Angeles in California where the fine-tuning program resumes at the Wild Card Gym.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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