PACQUIAO NEARS PEAK FORM
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 08 Oct 2013
GENERAL SANTOS CITY ? Come backing Filipino boxing treasure Manny Pacquiao is already 85 percent ready for his coming fight with Mexican-American Brandon ?Bam Bam? Rios November 24 in Macau.
This, his boyhood friend and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez assessed Tuesday, six weeks before the eight-division world belt holder climbs the ring to make up for the unprecedented back-to-back defeats he suffered last year ? first, a questionable split decision to undefeated Tim Bradley, and the KO loss against arch-enemy Juan Manuel Marquez.
?As of now, four weeks after pitching camp here (Pacman Wild Card Gym), I can say that Manny is only 15 percent short of getting into competitive shape,? the burly Fernandez said.
Buboy is overseeing the Pacman?s preparations pending the arrival of chief trainer Freddie Roach, pronounced.
?As we?ve been saying, Manny has already regained his old strength, speed and everything needed in preparation for a coming fight,? Fernandez, who is assisted here by Nonoy Neri, Roger ?Haplas? Fernandez, brothers Dodie Boy and Carl Penalosa Jr., assured.
?Handang-handa na si Manny sa pagdating dito ni coach Freddie at Justin (conditioning coach Justin Fortune) . Siguro, konting kakulangan na lang sa conditioning, depensa and, most importantly in sparring, ang pupunuan pagdating nila,? he added.
?Talagang kulang pa sa sparring. Reason for this naman eh hindi pa naman talaga dapat magsimula in this phase of preparations. Sparring normally starts at the arrival of coach Freddie," Buboy bared. ?Well, maybe Manny felt, he?s ready na for it kaya siya mismo ang nag-decide na umpisahan na.?
?Sa depensa, kailangan matuto si Manny na laruin ang kalaban. Hindi dapat magpatama. Kilala natin si Rios na may suntok din. Kapag nakasingit, delikado,? he said. ?Hindi na mauulit ang nangyari sa laban against Marquez.?
?Pacquiao himself assured he?s already reaching top form, saying ?okay na okay ang camp. Slowly, but surely, we?re achieving in advance what our goals are in this phase of training.?
?Tuloy-tuloy na ito, wala nang makapipigil. Gusto nating manalo at makabalik, so we have to do everything, sacrifice everything so we can realize what we aspire for,? Pacquiao added following another long and tough grind, both on the road and at the gym.
Dodie Boy, a former two time world champ himself, who re-joined the training staff two weeks ago, said he had never seen Pacquiao train as hard as he has been for his next bout.
?Manny looks hungrier now. At sa nakita ko the past two weeks, mas determinado sa ensayo. Gusto talagang makabalik at makabawi ang pagkatalo last year,? the Dodie said.
?Tutok talaga siya sa lahat ng aspect ng training regimen, sa gym and especially in roadwork,? Penalosa attested. ?Kanina lang sa oval, sus, grabe ang ensayo. Simula sa sprinting, then long distance then sprinting again, grabe. Ayaw na ngang tumigil at humihingi pa ng dagdag.?
?What I have been seeing, parang nagbalik si Manny noong five years ago when he was beating the likes of Barrera, Morales and De La Hoya,? he added. ?Tingin ko nga pag na-reach ni Manny ang peak form, baka hindi tumagal si Rios ng eight rounds.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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