MANNY Pacquiao will train eight weeks for Mayweather bout. AFP
THERE will be no horsing around for Manny Pacquiao this time.
As soon as Floyd Mayweather Jr. formally announced his May 2 megabuck bout with Pacquiao yesterday morning, the Sarangani representative went to work.
After an early morning jogging, he sweated it out at his MP Wild Card Gym in General Santos in the afternoon, doing routine training (shadow boxing, skipping ropes, punch mitts, abdominal exercises) for around two hours to shake off the rust.
He’ll continue light workouts under the guidance of Filipino trainer Nonoy Neri for one week before flying to Los Angeles for the start of his eight-week training camp at celebrated trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
“I’m in shape and eight weeks is enough,” Pacquiao told TV Patrol Weekend. “When I exceeded it, I over-trained.”
Familiar with Mayweather’s style, Pacquiao said he will again use the training regimen he adapted against Chris Algieri, whom he downed six-times en route to a one-sided unanimous decision last November in Macau.
Though two inches smaller than Mayweather at 5-foot-6, Pacquiao said it poses no problem as he’s used to fighting taller guys. Pacquiao fought and demolished 5-foot-11 Antonio Margarito and the 5-10 Algieri.
Also, Pacquiao believes that he has the advantage over Mayweather as far as power, strength and experience are concerned.
Pacquiao disclosed that he’d known the fight would push through as early as last week, but kept mum as Mayweather wanted to break the news.
Being the A-side, the unbeaten American was also granted the main right to promote the fight under his Mayweather Promotions, thus having control of ticket sales.
While fight fans are all agog about the super fight, Pacquiao said he feels relaxed now that the fight which took five years to materialize is actually happening.
“I’m thankful to God for making me an instrument for Filipinos to be known [around the world]. Lalaban ako para sa Pilipino, this will be my theme for this fight,” Pacquiao said in another interview with 24 Oras Weekend.
In a telephone interview, Bob Arum of Top Rank, said that the fight took a long time to negotiate because of the lack of trust on both camps (Mayweather and Pacquiao).
The promoter added that “some element of the Philippine press” impeded the negotiations.
Arum also expressed confidence that Pacquiao will eventually emerge the winner of the fight set at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.