BAGUIO CAMP: Pacquiao, Roach start grind

INQUIRER PHOTO/RAFFY LERMA

MANILA, Philippines—A 16-hour flight from Los Angeles followed by a five-hour ride to Baguio City would have been enough reasons to defer further activity for a day.

But not for Freddie Roach.

Right after arriving in the chilly Pines City Tuesday afternoon, the Hall of Fame trainer did not even bother to check in at The Manor Hotel to freshen up.

Roach headed right away for the Shape-Up Gym to meet his prized ward, Manny Pacquiao, and officially start the pound-for-pound king’s high-altitude training for his defense of the World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12.

“He (Roach) wore the same clothes when I fetched him at the airport,” said Joe Ramos, who returned to the Philippines from the United States to serve as Pacquiao’s consultant in Congress.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen him do the mitts in maong pants.”

Roach was astonishingly in high spirits throughout the two-hour session which also saw
Pacquiao hit the speed ball, shadow box, skip ropes, do sit-ups and other abdominal exercises.

The five-time Trainer of the Year was satisfied with the eight-division champion’s physical condition, brought about by occasional jogging and light workouts since three weeks back.

Pacquiao in fact jogged and circled Burnham Park eight times early morning Tuesday.

Roach and Pacquiao also took time to exchange notes and plot strategies against Marquez.

Pacquiao and the Mexican great collide for the third time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Unlike in their previous camps when the premium was on building up muscle and power, Roach seems intent on honing up Pacquiao’s speed this time.

This can be gleaned from Roach’s decision to bring along former World Boxing Council featherweight and World Boxing Association super featherweight champion Jorge Linares to serve as Pacquiao’s sparring partner in the three-week Baguio camp.

Filipino trainers Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri supervised Pacquiao’s light workouts at the Planet Jupiter Gym in Makati and the MP Tower Gym in Sampaloc, Manila.

Conditioning expert Alex Ariza joined them after the press tour to build up Pacquiao-Marquez III last week.