MANNY Pacquiao is raring to prove that fighting in the ring again won’t interfere with his legislative duties in the Senate.
Stepping up his preparations for his Nov. 5 showdown with World Boxing Organization welterweight champion Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas, Pacquiao jogged yesterday morning, attended a Senate hearing on extrajudicial killings and then sweated it out at the gym.
The tiring grind will be Pacquiao’s routine in the coming days as he tries to whip himself back into tiptop shape after beating Timothy Bradley in the US on April 9.
Bosom buddy and assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez supervised Pacquiao’s gym workout and will continue to do so until chief trainer Freddie Roach arrives from Los Angeles next month.
Pacquiao is also playing basketball as cross training, scoring four points in the Mahindra Enforcers’ 97-88 victory over fellow PBA newcomer Blackwater last Sunday.
Honoring his promise to religiously attend to his Senate duties, Pacquiao will hold training camp almost entirely in the Philippines, flying to the US only when the Upper House takes a break on Oct. 22. Roy Luarca