Manny Pacquiao welcomes Los Angeles mansion visitors Metta World Peace (right), the retired National Basketball Association player formerly known as Ron Artest. The mother of Peace’s son, Jeron (left), is Filipino Jennifer Palma. —WENDELL ALINEA/MP PROMOTIONS
HOLLYWOOD—Manny Pacquiao has one big concern. It’s not his weight nor his fitness.
And definitely not Adrien Broner.
“I’d like to push it some more,” said Pacquiao after his usual rigid workout at Wild Card Gym here. “But Justin (Fortune) stopped me.”
Fortune, the senator’s 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, practising thunderous combinations and making sure he is throwing them in shortest span of time as possible.
As always, Pacquiao would emerge from training in a jovial mood—like he just went shopping instead of undergoing 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 and overall irreverence draw comparison with Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Broner has been active on social media, flaunting his buff physique as well as dollar bills.
The Cincinnati native had earlier said he couldn’t care less about the highly anticipated Pacquiao-Mayweather rematch.
Broner, known for throwing too few punches, said all he needed was one punch to stop the only eight-division champ.