PACQUIAO RETURNS HOME TO START TRAINING FOR ALGIERI
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 08 Sep 2014
World Boxing Organization welterweight champ and Sarangani Congressman Manny Pacquiao returns home today following a two-week, five-city press tour promoting his WBO 147-pound title-fight with American challenger Chris Algieri set November 23 in Macau.
Pacquiao and Algieri ended their 27,000-mile trip at the Wall Street Journal offices in New York Friday with the Filipino belt-owner and his undefeated (20-0 with 8 KOs) 140-pound titlist expressing eagerness to start pitching their respective training camps for their all-important showdown a little over two months from now. Pacquiao, who is climbing the ring for the 67th time since turning pro 19 years ago, and the former martial arts fighter Algieri, too, expressed respect at each other, wishing each the best of luck in their 12-round confrontation that may well define future in their chosen profession.
The Filipino boxing icon (52-5-2 win-loss-draw with 38 KOs) is turning 36 comes December 17, while Algieri is five years his junior. ?Nandyan na ako sa Tuesday and I am really excited to start preparing for the fight,? Pacquiao told this writer in an overseas interview last Saturday even as he expressed elation learning his expansion team Kia Motors won over crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra its first tune up earlier that day.
?Wow, magandang balita yan,? Pacquiao, who will play the role of playing-coach of the team when the pro-league?s 40th Season unfolds Oct.ber 19, reacted to Kia?s 73-71 outlasting of the Kings that saw Reil Cervantes and L.A. Revilla, both Global Sports mainstays in the PBA D-League, eluding their guards for 17 and 16 points, respectively. Pacquiao himself talked about his coming debut as a basketball player during the interview with members of the international boxing media, though that while his first love is the dribble-and-shoot game, his main focus is still boxing.
?The (PBA) season starts October 19, but I won't play in the game before the fight. After November 22, I'll play a little bit, I?ll be more focused on coaching, ? he told an interviewer. ?I love watching the NBA. I watch Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Rajon Rondo, and Steph Curry. Before I liked [Allen] Iverson,? he added. ? My motivation (in boxing) is still the same, 100%. Boxing is my passion and the time I fight and I'm in the ring, the excitement is there.?
When asked, the father of four with his Sarangani Vice Governor wife Jinkee said he?s not yet thinking of hanging up his fighting gloves, adding ?I believe I can still fight. I'm still young.?
An earlier plan to pitch his training camp in Metro Manila still hangs in the air though as he said his hometown General Santos City will most-likely be it so he can concentrate in his preparations as his promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank would want it. As in my previous fights, preparations will last eight week, including two weeks in Macau,? he said.
Asked if unbeaten World Boxing Council welterweight champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. is still in his radar, Pacquiao retorted: ?Before I was always thinking about that fight. That?s what boxing fans want, di ba? But, now I think I have to move on and focus on other fighters because I don't think he will fight.?
Algieri, for his part, considered the tour as ?a fantastic experience, an eye-opening experience. I got to experience a lot. I feel comfortable with where we are, what's going on and really look forward to beginning training camp to get ready for the fight. This is the fight of my life at this point. It's all very exciting. This is exactly where I want to be and expected to be for many years.? While admitting he has been overwhelmed given the chance to fight one of the best fighters in the world today, Algieri added though: ?I don't have it in my head that I will lose. I've never had it before and I'm not going to start now. See, I come from a different outlook than a lot of other guys. How'd you get in your head a chance to win? That's never crossed my mind, that there wasn't a chance to win. Just a completely different outlook than people on the outside looking in.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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