Pacquiao relaxes by watching the NBA but keen on beating Bradley
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 04 Feb 2014
Taking advantage of every opportunity to relax before undergoing a long, tough grind to prepare himself for his coming next fight, four division lineal titlist Manny Pacquiao plans to watch an NBA game featuring the New York Knicks and the Portland Trailblazers at Madison Square Garden in that City that never sleeps.
"Yeah, I really need to capitalize on every chance na makapag-relax. Pagbalik ko kasi sa Pilipinas subsob na naman ang ulo ko sa ensayo para sa susunod na laban kay (Timothy) Bradley," Pacquiao, also the only man to win eight world titles in as many weight divisions, told this writer in an overseas telephone conversation upon arriving in Los Angeles Sunday (Monday in Manila).
The "Pambansang Kamao," a basketball fanatic who plays the sport as part of his cross-training regimen by way of staying in shape, was referring to his April 12 rematch date with the unbeaten defending World Boxing Organization champion Tim Bradley at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
"Gusto ko nga sana maraming games and mapanood, lalo na yung games ng favorite teams ko," he said in reference to the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.
"Kaya lang I want to also return home early para makasama ko naman nang mahaba-haba ang pamilya ko, my wife Jinkee and our children na ma-me-miss ko na naman kapag nagsimula na ako ng preparasyson."
Pacquiao is in L.A. for the first leg of a two-city media tour Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) and is flying to New York the next day for the second stop of the press conference to promote the Pacquiao-Bardley II where he is out regain the world welterweight title he lost to the American the first time they met on June 9, 2012.
The Filipino ring legend and Sarangani Congressman, in a separate interview before he departed to L.A. Sunday evening, said he is pitching his training camp in General Santos City immediately upon his arrival next week from the U.S.
The father of four with wife, Sarangani Vice Gov. Jinkee said he actually has started flexing his muscles for his planned 10-week build up program by making rounds at the Acharon Sports Center oval in GenSan middle of last week.
"Before starting working in the gym, kailangan maluluwag na ang muscle to avoid cramps, lalo na sa leg, kaya inumpisahan ko na mag-roadwork muna," he confided.
Last Friday, upon arriving from Manila, he made a 10-round spin at the 400-meter oval signifying his determination to complete his remarkable comeback from a twin setbacks dealt him in 2012, including a sixth round KO at the hands of arch-enemy Juan Manuel Marquez.
"That is how important I consider this fight because apart from recapturing the crown deprived of me by the judges of that 2012 bout, naipangako ko rin sa boxing fans all over the world that it is also my intention to complete a comeback from what I consider a black mark in my boxing career," Pacquiao emphasized.
"I prepared hard and long against (Brandon) Rios last November and that is what I also intend to do against Bradley (whom he beat badly)," Pacquiao said.
"I heard that Bradley has also been preparing hard for the fight. I'm happy to hear that because that means we can give our fans their money's worth when the fight comes," Pacquiao quipped when informed that his opponent has, too, started his build up program.
"Maganda ang showing niya against (Ruslan) Provodnikov) and Marquez, kaya kailangan talaga preparado ako pagharap sa kanya (Bradley)," Pacquiao reasoned out.
Photo: Pacquiao (C) arrives at Los Angeles airport Sunday evening.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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