FILE – Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao trains at a gym in General Santos City, on the southern island of Mindanao on October 24, 2013 ahead of his upcoming bout with US boxer Brandon Rios in Macau on November 24. Pacquiao says he is furiously training like a 20-year-old to break a losing streak and re-establish his reputation as one of the world’s best fighters. AFP
HOLLYWOOD—Manny Pacquiao trained so hard Saturday that he sweated profusely, wetting portions of the ring canvas.
“Puro tubig na ang paa ko (My feet is all wet),” Pacquiao told assistant trainers Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri even as he continued to shadow box.
He felt so light and energized that when the afternoon workout session was over he declared his readiness to fight Timothy Bradley, affirming the observation of chief trainer Freddie Roach.“Okay naman. Nine rounds of sparring. Ready na tayo sa laban,” Pacquiao told Filipino sportswriters at Wild Card Gym here.
Pacquiao, who’s usually evasive about the status of his personal conditioning, apparently felt that his speed, timing, rhythm and reflexes are back.
And, more important, his right shoulder, which sustained a rotator cuff tear on his losing effort against Floyd Mayweather last year, is back in harness 100 percent.
“No problem. Masaya lahat (Everybody happy), specially Freddie,” said Pacquiao, who was clowning around as he winds up Saturday’s training session.”
“Pababa na ng training, ready na tayo,” said Pacquiao, who sparred for only nine rounds against Saturday as against the 12 rounds he did Thursday.
In one instance he was attacking the ring rope, alternately hitting it with both elbows.
One time, he showed strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune Muay Thai moves.
He even tried punching simultaneously with both hands, one to the head and one to the body.
Neri couldn’t help but tell Pacquiao, “Boss you’re already 150 percent.”
Pacquiao smiled and responded. “Huwag mo akong inuuto (Don’t make a fool out of me).
Neri, who doubles as Pacquiao’s assistant coach in training camp abroad, later confided that he was just happy with the sudden resurgence of Pacquiao from being sluggish on Friday.
“I’m advising him to listen to his body and slow down sometimes,” Neri said in Filipino. “I told him that he’s no longer a 20-year-old and that he needs to relax when needed.”
Pacquiao knows that, of course.
One of his favorite training shirts before carries the message: Manny Knows.