Pacquiao starts light training for Algieri fight

Manny Pacquiao, with coach Freddie Roach. AP FILE PHOTO

When Manny Pacquiao reported back to the gym Monday, Filipino coach Buboy Fernandez was pleasantly surprised by the eight-division world champion’s demeanor.

“He projected a positive aura,” Fernandez told the Inquirer in Filipino. “He was always smiling.”

It was Pacquiao’s first light workout in preparation for his defense of the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against unbeaten American Chris Algieri on Nov. 23 in Macau.

Fernandez is taking charge of Pacquiao’s training until chief trainer Freddie Roach’s arrival on Oct. 6.

Pacquiao breezed through the four-round mitts session, shadow-boxed for three rounds, pummeled the speedball and did sit-ups at his Wild Card Gym in Gen. Santos City.

“I didn’t make him skip ropes,” said Fernandez, who arrived in the city on Oct. 3 to oversee the gym setup and synchronize Pacquiao’s hectic schedule.

Having analyzed tapes of Algieri’s previous bouts, including his split decision win for the WBO light welterweight crown over Ruslan Provodnikov last June 14, Fernandez said he is inclined to use Pacquiao’s domination of Antonio Margarito as a blueprint for training.

“Algieri is nearly as tall and as long as Margarito,” said Fernandez. “Their only difference is that Margarito counters when cornered in the ropes and Algieri doesn’t.”

Fernandez said they can’t afford to take Algieri, who will fight at 144 pounds for the first time, lightly.

He said the American of Italian-Argentinian descent, has a strong uppercut and left hook.