Photographers crowd Manny Pacquiao during the media workout day. —WENDELL ALINEA/MP PROMOTIONS
HOLLYWOOD—Manny Pacquiao has one big concern. It’s not his weight. Neither is it his fitness. And definitely, it’s not Adrien Broner.
“I’d like to push it some more,” said Pacquiao after his usual rigid workout at Wild Card Gym here Friday. “But Justin (Fortune) stopped me.”
Fortune, his fitness and conditioning coach, prevailed upon him to forgo his scheduled morning run up the hilly path from Griffith Park Observatory all the way to the iconic Hollywood sign.
“We want to maintain our fitness,” said Pacquiao. “We don’t want to get burned out.”
He nevertheless went on with several rounds of mitts training at the gym in the afternoon, practicing thunderous combinations and making sure he is throwing them in shortest span of time as possible.
As always, Pacquiao emerged from training in jovial mood like he came from shopping instead of a punishing two-hour grind.
“I’m very sure Broner is in top shape, I saw his video. He’s got a good trainer,” said Pacquiao, referring to Kevin Cunningham.
“But I expect him to try to maybe annoy me,” he added, alluding to Broner, whose boxing style is said to mimic that of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
The Cincinnati native had earlier said he couldn’t care less about Pacquiao’s highly anticipated rematch with Mayweather.
Before that, Broner, known for throwing too few punches, said all he needs is one punch to stop the sport’s only eight-division champ.
It was a reference to the 2012 knockout loss Pacquiao suffered at the hands of rival Juan Manuel Marquez.
“But I will not be affected by it, because I know my level,” Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao said he’s now below 150 lbs, three pounds off the welterweight limit. “But I don’t want to lose too much weight.”