Pacquiao not taking foe lightly, starts light training

GENERAL SANTOS CITY—Eight-division boxing champ Manny Pacquiao has started training for his  Nov. 24 fight against Brandon “Bambam” Rios in Macau, China.

Assistant coach Buboy Fernandez described the preparation as light training before the workout shifts to high gear when  chief trainer Freddie Roach arrives from the US in the first week of  September.

“Coach Freddie will take over upon his arrival here,” said Fernandez yesterday.

Pacquiao jogged at the rubberized track oval of Antonio C. Acharon Memorial Sports Center in Calumpang village for about 15 minutes last Tuesday then played volleyball with the members of team Pacquiao.

Fernandez said the light training is designed to restore Pacquiao’s stamina, noting that the Filipino champion had a long layoff after his loss last December to Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez.

After jogging and playing either volleyball or basketball in the morning, Pacquiao will proceed to  his boxing gym in Tambler at 3 p.m. to do abdominal exercises, jump rope, shadow boxing before hitting the speedball.

Fernandez said they are not taking Rios lightly so they decided to train early. He said two conditioning coaches are also coming to help prepare Pacman for the Rios bout.

Pacquiao said he would spend the duration of his longest training camp ever in his boxing career in this city. Aquiles Z. Zonio, Inquirer Mindanao