Pacquiao celebrates Thanksgiving
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 18 Nov 2012
MANILA(PNA) - Manny Pacquiao will take a time out from his hectic training schedule for his fourth meeting with Juan Manuel Marquez by attending Sunday church services and hand turkeys and pumpkin pies to his fans at the Westside Shepherd of the Hills Church in Los Angeles.
Hundreds of Filipino and American fans are expected to receive the handouts from the Filipino fighter of the decade and members of his flock as a way of Pacquiao?s appreciation to the many blessings he has been receiving in his 17-year boxing career.
?Rest day naman ng training ko ngayon and on November 24 is Thanksgiving Day, kaya tiniyempo kong bukas na gawin and give-away ceremony,? Pacquiao told People?s Journal Saturday afternoon right after his sparring session at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood,
?Ang Thanksgiving Day is isang kaugaliang taunang ginugunita dito sa Amerika at sa ibang panig ng mundo at naisipan kong sa selebrasyong ito ganapin ang pamimigay ko ng bagay na simbolo rin ng pasasalamat ko sa mga grasyang natatanggap ko mula as Panginooon,?Pacquiao said as quoted by assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez.
?Nakaugalian na rin naman kasing gawin ni Manny ito tuwing Thanksgiving Day dito sa U.S. And because malapit na ang selebrasyon, gagawin na niya ang gift-giving in advance,? the Pacman?s boyhood friend and neighbor in General Santos City said.
?Pasasalamat din ni Manny ito para sa mga taong walang sawang sumusuporta sa kanya dito sa Amerika, Pilipino man o hindi,? Fernandez said. ?Kilala naman natin si Manny, malaki ang pagtanaw niya ng loob sa lahat sumusuporta sa career nya.?
Pacquiao bought a truckload of turkeys and pumpkin pies last Friday for the purpose. Site of gift-giving, starting at 11 a.m. will be at the Westside Shepherd of the Hills Church, located in the Wadsworth Theatre on the grounds of the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System.
Fernandez said that the past three weeks at LA camp have been progressing as member of Team Pacquiao want it to, without any hitch.
?A few days from now, Freddie (Roach) and the rest of the training staff expect Manny to be in competitive form for the fight,? Fernandez disclosed in reference to the Chapter IV of the Pacquiao-Marquez historic nine-year rivalry that started on March 15, 2008 when the Filipino icon and the Mexican legend battled into a 12-round split draw despite three knockdowns Pacquiao scored in the first round.
The duo, who once were the top pound-for-pound fighters in th4e world met each four years later when Pacquiao won via a split decision win. Last November, the took the ring anew with Pacquiao went home triumphantly with a majority verdict.
Pacquiao had been undergoing 10 rounds of sparring and 12 rounds of punching the mitts the past week, a regimen Roach wants to continue the following week, starting Monday supplemented with working on the heavy bags, double end and speed bags as well conditioning exercises to build up stamina and leg power.
?Masaya naman kami, including Manny himself, sa nakikita naming resulta at within next week , malalaman na namin kung saan kami nandoon at kung ano ang mangyayari pagdating ng laban,? Fernandez said.
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