Manny Pacquiao trains at the Pan Pacific Park in Hollywood, CA on Saturday morning. WIth him are international singer Apl.De.Ap and Filipino actor Cesar Montano. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA
HOLLYWOOD—For a change, Manny Pacquiao was in a hurry to finish his gym work Saturday.
He breezed through six rounds of sparring with two partners as well as the mitts session with Freddie Roach and went through the motion of completing the toning down exercises.
While the sparring was brief, it was intense, according to training assistant Haplas Fernandez.
“If Mayweather chooses to fight it out, he’d land somewhere,” Fernandez said in Filipino.
With his training already at the tapering stage, Pacquiao was in a rush to join the first birthday celebration of his fifth and youngest child, Israel.
It was held at the house of ardent supporter Abbas Hamadi, owner of Mitsubishi car dealerships in Irvine, California, some 63 kilometers from here.
Actually it was an advanced celebration as Israel’s birthday is on April 27, coinciding with the official closing of Pacquiao’s training camp at trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym.
After Pacquiao’s training is over, Team Pacquiao will proceed to Las Vegas in a convoy of over 40 vehicles, including a luxury bus bearing the replica of his image for the Mayweather-Pacquiao clash.
Aside from the Pacquiaos (Manny, wife Jinkee and children Michael, Jimwell, Princess, and Queen Elizabeth) Team Pacquiao members, the so-called LA Boys and crews from the Philippines’ three major networks also attended the event that also coincided with the fourth birthday of Hamadi’s son Kington.
Early in the morning, Pacquiao ran from his home at Plymouth Boulevard to Pan Pacific Park.
He was joined by internationally renowned Fil-Am rapper apl.de. ap, also known as Allan Pineda, in doing his exercise routine as actor Cesar Montano watched.
California-based Filipinos, Mexicans and Americans numbering over 500 converged at the park to give Pacquiao moral support.
It was a fiesta-like atmosphere as some Filipinos brought flags, including those of the Koreans, while Mexicans and other foreigners joined the long queue for the chance to meet and greet Pacquiao or get his autograph.
Arnold Espiritu and his family offered free Victory donuts and water while Mexican food cart vendors swore they’re rooting for Pacquiao.