No easing up on Pacquiao training

MANNY Pacquiao isn’t easing up on his preparations for Brandon Rios even far from his General Santos City base camp.

Waking up early, Pacquiao jogged within the exclusive confines of Forbes Park in Makati City yesterday then shadow boxed before doing abdominal exercises.

Later in the afternoon, he went to his MP Towers Gym in Sampaloc, Manila, to sweat it out and do routine training with the speed and heavy bags.

Though the welterweight fight with Rios is set Nov. 24 at The Venetian Macao yet, Pacquiao is conditioning himself for the tougher grind ahead when chief trainer Freddie Roach arrives in the country on Oct. 7.

If his schedule holds, Pacquiao will be sparring with unbeaten Ghanaian welterweight Fredrick Lawson (21-0, 19 KOs) today.

Lawson, the International Boxing Federation intercontinental welterweight champion, is already in town and is raring to help Pacquiao regain his rhythm in the ring.

Meanwhile, strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune is rejoining Team Pacquiao, according to Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz.

Fortune, who supervised Pacquiao’s preparations for Mexican Jorge Solis in 2007 before leaving chief trainer Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym to establish Fortune Gym in Los Angeles, will be arriving on Oct. 4.

The 47-year-old Fortune was Australia’s powerlifting champion in 1987 before turning to boxing. He lost to Lennox Lewis in a world heavyweight title fight in 1995.

Fortune will be handling Pacquiao’s conditioning regimen, taking over the role vacated by Alex Ariza, who was fired by Roach early this month.

Ariza is now with Team Rios, which doesn’t bother Pacquiao a bit.

Pacquiao told GMA News yesterday that his conditioning  program is in place, though Fortune might tinker with it upon his return.