Workaholic Pacquiao chases history

Boxer Manny Pacquiao makes his “Grand Arrival” to the Wynn hotel-casino on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016, in Las Vegas. Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Jessie Vargas on Saturday night at the Thomas&Mack Center. AP

LAS VEGAS—Wonder no more why Manny Pacquiao works so long in the gym, likes to run on steeper terrain, and hits the bags as fast and hard as he could.

He’s a driven worker, raring to be the best on everything he does.

“I’m a workaholic,” said Pacquiao during an interview at the Grand Arrival at Wynn hotel here Tuesday.

“I want to be a good example to people who love sports,” said Pacquiao. “The way you work in this profession, to set an example to the young generation aiming to become champion.”

That’s why Pacquiao wants to win convincingly over Jessie Vargas in their World Boxing Organization welterweight bout Saturday night here.

He’s chasing history as the first incumbent senator to win a title—in any sport.

Thoroughly motivated, Pacquiao went into overdrive again in his afternoon training at Top Rank gym.

Chief trainer Freddie Roach, conditioning coach Justin Fortune and cutman Miguel Diaz have to take turns requesting Pacquiao to go slow on the routines as he’d reached the desired form to excel against Vargas.

Granted only four rounds of mitts work with Roach, Pacquiao found a way to compensate with added minutes in shadow boxing, where he regaled the crowd with a nonstop sequence of movements, throwing punches and changing stances at the same time, for over 30 seconds.

He also skipped rope and did abdominal exercises.

Throughout the session that exceeded an hour, Pacquiao never showed traces of exhaustion.

He was always smiling, talking, joking. He even granted a television interview while lying on his back.

Though he discourages Pacquiao from doing it, Roach foresees Pacquiao again going to the ropes early on and allowing Vargas to bang at him at will.

And when Pacquiao feels that he can take on Vargas’ punches, the real action begins.

“He’s the same hungry fighter,” said Roach.