PACQUIAO WRAPS UP EXCELLENT TRAINING
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 08 Apr 2014
LOS ANGELES, Cal. -- Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao officially brings down the curtains on his three-week Los Angeles training camp Monday (Tuesday in Manila), the day his team drives to Las Vegas in Nevada where he will be challenging Timothy Bradley for the undefeated American's World Boxing Organization welterweight crown this coming Saturday at the MGM Grand Arena.
A four-round sparring against Speedy Gonzales, ends the grueling pace of the build-up program prefacing another full week of light workouts in Nevada's famous gambling city prior to his 12-round appointment with the champion whose only credential in holding on to the plum was a highly disputable split decision win courtesy of what promoter Bob Arum described as the "three blind mice" nearly two years ago in the same venue.
Team Pacquiao motors to Las Vegas shortly after lunch with the usual convoy of cars and a tourist bus that will include those of Roach, business consultant Mike Koncz, training team, staff and media men.
"It's the best week we had," chief trainer Freddie Roach told this writer in reference to the last seven days of the L.A. camp at his own Wild Card Gym in Hollywood that made up rounds and rounds of sparring with four partners and doing the mitts with him as well as enduring the strength and conditioning regimen of Justin Fortune.
"The toughest part of the camp is over," Roach sighed. "Manny has completely recovered from the sinus infection he suffered a week ago and now we can all relax and look forward to maintaining what we've gained from the 10-week job (including six to seven weeks) at Pacquiao's hometown General Santos City."
Pacquiao himself sounded satisfied with how the camp went.
Photos by Windell Rupert Alinea.
"The camp was excellent. Mahirap, but as the Filipino saying goes, pag may hirap, may ginhawa. Everything went perfect. Settled down na ako at masaya. I cannnot ask for more," he asserted. "I'm in tip-top shape. Kondisyong-kondisyon na and rarin to go."
"As we promised at the start of the camp here, we'll be leaving L.A. ready to rumble, which I am now, he said. "Eyewitness ka naman what went on sa GenSan pa lang. Lalo na dito. Kahit nga may sipon ako at ubo, sige lang ang ensayo kasi gusto nating manalo at maibalik ang korona sa Pilipinas."
So perfect was the atmosphere in the camp, Pacquiao was allowed the luxury of accepting relatives, visitors coming from as far as Manila after each training sessions at his favorite Thai restaurant at the ground floor of the Wild Card Gym and even at his mansion on Plymouth St. inside the Larchmont Village.
Basketball legend Robert Jaworski and associate Reli de Leon were Pacquiao's guests last Friday at his mansion, while Marlou Aquino, who played for Barangay Ginebra during the former's stint as playing coach, along with Kenneth Duremdes were in the vicinity of the Wild Card Gym a day before.
Pacuiao's mother, the equally popular Aleng Dionisia, is also in town along with estrange husband Rosalio.
The job though isn't finished yet, if Roach will have his way. A little bit of the stamina-building segments will have to be completed besides the game plan and strategy have to be finalized.
"Definitely, sparring sessions end Monday," he disclosed. "No more of that starting Tuesday. "He'll be doing a lot more of mitts to establish the distance he ought to be with his opponent at any given moment of the fight. Manny still has to do a little bit of roadwork to further prove his condition and stamina."
Roach and his assistants -- Buboy Fernandez, Marvin Somodio, Nonoy Neri and Roger "Haplas" Fernandez -- expect Bradley to indulge in the fighting style he is known for, running, and Pacquiao needs to be at his best shape to counter that.
Game plan has been set in place, according to Buboy.
"Two weeks ago pa, meron na kaming panagot sa running style ni Bradley. If he decides na makipagsabayan, mas maganda sa amin yan. Me sagot na rin kami doon," Pacquiao's boyhood friend assured. "Nakalatag na lahat ang plano. It's only a matter of polishing them in our last week of preparation."
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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