Tireless Pacman still awes trainer
HOLLYWOOD—Nonoy Neri has been a part of Manny Pacquiao’s training team for a decade now. He’d seen Pacquiao’s gruelling training sessions and his unbelievable stamina.
Yet, Pacquiao never ceases to amaze him.
“He doesn’t get tired,” said Neri in Filipino after the pound-for-pound king trained for more than two hours without skipping a beat Friday.
“He’s always eager to do more, and sometimes we have to restrain him,” said Neri, who originally trained Pacquiao’s younger brother Bobby at the defunct LM Gym in Manila before hooking up with Manny in 2000.
Pacquiao went through 29 rounds with the mitts, before punching bags, shadow boxing and skipping ropes at the Wild Card Gym.
Neri, who doubles as Pacquiao’s favorite cook, attributes Pacquiao’s stamina to his penchant for healthy food and innate staying power.
“Right now, he eats four times a day and drinks protein shake in the afternoon,” said Neri. “For breakfast he usually has scrambled eggs. I serve him tinolang manok or nilagang baka alternately with vegetables and fried fish on the side for lunch or dinner.
“When there’s sparring I add ampalaya (bitter gourd) to the menu.”
According to Neri, Pacquiao starts his day here by running up the hills and then doing more than a thousand sit-ups. After lunch he takes a rest before resuming training at Wild Card, where he repeats the sit-up routine.
In between, he does guest appearances and dabbles in singing.
Pacquiao will spar for five rounds Saturday as he tapers off his preparation for his Nov. 13 showdown with Antonio Margarito in Arlington, Texas.
“When Manny’s in shape, he’s unbelievable,” said Neri. “He never runs out of gas.”
NOTES: Toyota Glendale on Friday donated a Toyota Land Cruiser V8 on top of $10,000 to the Manny Pacquiao Foundation supporting deserving students in Sarangani Province and Gen. Santos City. The key to the dark gray 2011 4×4 Sports Utility Vehicle worth around $80,000 and the replica check were handed to Pacquiao by Harlan Grittin after his workout at the Wild Card Gym. In return, Pacquiao will serve as Toyota spokesperson in California, particularly with the Filipino community.
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