Pacquiao ends Baguio training today

BAGUIO CITY—The word of God is now Manny Pacquiao’s sole passion.

The eight-division world boxing champion has given up basketball in the course of his high-altitude training here, turning instead to Bible reading and preaching for motivation.

“It (Bible reading) is more relaxing,” Pacquiao told Manila-based sportswriters yesterday at his suite at the Cooyeesan Hotel.

“You eat to feed your body, you read the Bible to feed your soul,” said Pacquiao, adding that he reads the scriptures three times a day even as he trains for his showdown with unbeaten Timothy Bradley on June 9.

Pacquiao’s lifestyle change and dropping of basketball have made chief trainer Freddie Roach’s job a lot easier.

Now, he doesn’t have to worry about Manny sustaining an injury while playing basketball.

In their previous  training camps here, Pacquiao brought along his MP GenSan Warriors and even sponsored mini cage tournaments here.

Roach also suspects that Pacquiao’s love for basketball is the reason why the Sarangani representative suffered from cramps in his last few fights.

According to Pacquiao, he feels blessed and closer to God now that he’s studying the Bible.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao disclosed that his right shoulder was aching during his sparring with Russians Ruslan Provodnikov and Rustam Nugaev on Tuesday, prompting him to use his left hand most of the time.

Though he has sparred only 14 rounds thus far, Pacquiao said he’s now familiar with Bradley’s style and no longer watches fight tapes of his unbeaten opponent (28-0 with 13 knockouts).

Team Pacquiao will go down to Manila today  after another sparring session at the Shape Up gym of the Cooyeesan Hotel here.

Pacquiao, who did his morning run at the Teacher’s Camp premises yesterday, will train at his MP Towers gym on Friday and Saturday, before taking the evening flight to Los Angeles.

There, his training will hit full throttle at Roach’s Wild Card gym.

Team Pacquiao will head for Las Vegas on June 4, wrapping up Pacquiao’s eight-week preparation for Bradley.