Pacquiao leaves for Vegas today
HOLLYWOOD—All bases have been covered, Manny Pacquiao is in tip-top shape, and Freddie Roach believes they have done everything necessary to ensure victory against Shane Mosley on May 7.
Still, they are leaving nothing to chance.
Pacquiao will hold his last sparring session Monday afternoon (Tuesday in Manila) before they leave the Wild Card Gym here for the city of a thousand thrills.
Roach said he wants to apply the final touch to an intense seven weeks of preparation that started in Baguio City and will culminate on Wednesday in Las Vegas.
Tapped to provide Pacquiao a semblance of Mosley-like competition are unbeaten welterweight Shawn Porter and veteran lightweight Ray Beltran Jr.
After four rounds of sparring, the Filipino superstar will proceed with his usual training regimen and exercises before leading Team Pacquiao to a 360-kilometer drive to Nevada.
Pacquiao is likely to ride in his Navigator with wife Jinkee, with the other members of his large entourage following in a convoy that includes the special bus emblazoned with the large photograph of Pacquiao.
Heeding Roach’s order for a complete day off, Pacquiao did not jog nor exercise Sunday.
Later in the afternoon, a pray over was held in Pacquiao’s unit at the gated Palazzo with members of Team Pacquiao and guests in attendance.
Roach said he has heard reports that Mosley’s team, particularly chief trainer Nazim Richardson, intends to complain about Pacquiao’s hand wraps.
“All I hear about is that they’re going to complain about the hand wraps,” Roach told Manila-based sportswriters. “That’s what Nazim’s an expert at. He’ll try to get at Manny’s head. I won’t let that happen.”
