HOLLYWOOD—Trapped in the ropes, Manny Pacquiao made a quick move to free himself and then unleashed a crisp combination at his Russian sparmate.
Filipino trainer Nonoy Neri, though familiar with Pacquiao’s quickness, was mesmerized.
“You’re like a ninja,” Neri told Pacquiao in Filipino after Thursday’s (Friday in Manila) three-hour training session at the Wild Card Gym here. “One second you’re here and then you’re gone.”
Pacquiao smiled in satisfaction, looked up, pointed a finger and uttered: “Praise the Lord. God is great.”
Chief trainer Freddie Roach and assistant Buboy Fernandez, impressed with Pacquiao’s form, sees a late stoppage for the Filipino ring icon when he defends his WBO welterweight crown against undefeated Timothy Bradley. Neri thinks the KO will come earlier.
“He’s reached his peak,” Neri said. “The timing, speed and power.”
“Mentally, he has no problem and is so focus,” added Neri. “Unlike before (Juan Manuel Marquez fight) when his mind was wandering.”
Pacquiao narrowly beat Marquez by majority decision last November and is raring to make up for it, promising something special for the Bradley bout.
Pacquiao continues to be a monster in training, pounding the bags, skipping rope, shadow boxing and making 1,200 situps.