Knockout No. 39
Manny Pacquiao pummels the heavy bag at Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. —Roy Luarca
LAS VEGAS—The deposed king is back to reclaim his throne.
Manny Pacquiao wheeled into this city of lights Monday night, eager and ready to snare the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown from Jessie Vargas on Nov. 5 at Thomas & Mack Center.
Oddsmakers and bettors have picked him to beat Vargas, with betting lines veering mostly on whether Pacquiao would win by stoppage or settle for another decision.
“Ready na, bakbakan na (I’m ready. Let’s fight),” said Pacquiao, as his convoy of sport utility vehicles, cars and a customized bus bearing his image left Hollywood en route to Wynn resort and casino, his home here for the week.
The Fighting Senator will be staging his 19th fight in Nevada’s capital, but will be doing it at the 19,522-capacity Thomas & Mack Center only for the third time.
Nearly five hours and 434.5 kilometers later, Team Pacquiao split into two groups, with the Pacquiaos, their security detail and training staff billeted at Wynn and the rest assigned to Treasure Island located at the other side of the Strip, just a few blocks away.
As always, the tired group was treated to dinner composed of trays of pancit (noodles), beef steak, caldereta (goat meat stew) and white rice.
On Tuesday, Pacquiao and Vargas will be doing the Grand Arrival at the main entrance of Wynn as Fight Week officially begins.
Before going here, trainer Freddie Roach happily reported how his wards’ punches have been pounding his frail body.
The seven-time trainer of the year’s left shoulder is aching all over, and so is his elbow, after four rounds of doing the mitts with Pacquiao on Monday afternoon at Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.
Despite the throbbing pain emanating from his battered, reddish palms, Roach isn’t complaining.
Fact is, the more intense the pain Pacquiao inflicts on Roach, the happier he gets.
It means they are getting closer to their wish of ending Pacquiao’s seven-year knockout drought.
“His punches are more powerful than before,” said Roach, who is confident Pacquiao will finally tally KO No. 39.
“The better he performs, the bigger his chances of fighting bigger names next year.”
But Pacquiao refused to predict a knockout, saying all he wants to do is please the fans.
He lost the 147-pound title in a megabuck bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr., who has since retired, last year.
Vargas won the crown vacated by Tim Bradley Jr. in Washington D.C. by stopping Sadam Ali in the ninth round last March 5.
Bradley relinquished the title to get a third crack at Pacquiao, who beat him by a clear unanimous decision on April 12.
Pacquiao announced his retirement after that victory, only to reconsider after finding out that he can still fulfill his legislative duties in the Senate while boxing at the same time.
Juggling his time, Pacquiao had to endure 14-hour training and work everyday to whip himself into shape for the 12-rounder with Vargas which is distributed on pay per view by fight promoter Top Rank.
On Monday, Pacquiao wrapped up his training in Hollywood with an early morning assault of Griffth Park peak and working out at Wild Card Gym in the afternoon.
