Pacquiao extends training camp to 9 weeks

Manny Pacquiao flexes his muscle after training at the Top Rank gym in Las Vegas, Nevada two days before his fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. PHOTO BY REM ZAMORA/Inquirer/ See more at FRAME

Manny Pacquiao is hell-bent on putting up a smashing farewell performance against Timothy Bradley on April 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Instead of his normal eight weeks of preparations, Pacquiao has opted to extend training camp to nine weeks.

“We need enough time so we have to start early, nine weeks because of the long layoff,” Pacquiao told Philboxing.com on Tuesday.

According to Pacquiao, he also needs to regain his rhythm after being out of the ring since losing to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2 and subsequent torn rotator cuff surgery on May 6.

This early, Pacquiao is intensifying his physical conditioning in General Santos City, under the supervision of assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez and younger brother Haplas Fernandez.

Chief trainer Freddie Roach, originally slated to arrive in the country on Feb. 13, will also be planing in earlier on Feb. 2 to take over from the Fernandezes.

Pacquiao’s unusual desire for longer training prompted Roach to predict a knockout victory for his prized ward who’d announced that he’ll be hanging up his gloves after Pacquiao-Bradley III.

“Manny wants to go out with a bang and knock Tim out so I predict a knockout in nine,” Roach told boxingscene.com.

That’s a bold statement from Roach since Pacquiao hasn’t stopped an opponent since Miguel Cotto in 2009.

Of course, Pacquiao could have knocked out Antonio Margarito, Shane Mosley and Chris Algieri if he wished to.

While Pacquiao is taking the longer route, Bradley is sticking to his eight-week training camp under the guidance of head trainer Teddy Atlas. Roy Luarca