BAGUIO CITY - Members of Team Pacquiao?s coaching staff, headed by chief trainer Freddie Roach, were one in projecting that boxing fans will be seeing a completely different Manny Pacquiao when he stakes his 147-crown against the undefeated American Timothy Bradley on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
And it?s not because Pacquiao is a changed man as he has been proclaiming he is.
?The dedication he has been showing in responding to the training program, which I had seen in latest fights, led me to believe he?ll be fighting differently when he meets Bradley,? Roach attested.
?Manny?s been conducting himself very well since we arrive here last week,? Roach said. ?As I said, it was a good first week in the camp and Manny looks very good.?
?I never expected him to be in this advance state in preparations,? he remarked even as he attributed his ward?s new-found attitude to training to his being a ?new man,? having involved himself to bible-study and preaching.
?His being a churchman helps. For one, there?s no more of the many distractions that we encountered in training in fights previous to this,? he said.
Pacquiao?s unimpressive showing in his last outing against Juan Manuel Marquez is one of the reasons. ?He knows he has to win impressively this time. He had learned his lessons.?
?Masyadong dedicated at determinado. Fans will see a different Manny Paccquiao comes June 9,? assistant trainer and the Pacman?s boyhood friend Buboy Fernandez said.
Fernandez said it was his boss himself who thought of and suggested that the biometrics training system the team abandoned in his bout against Marquez.
?Si Manny nagsabi sa amin na ibalik ang biometrics as part of the training program kaya inumpisahan nbamin kanina,? Nonoy Neri, the team nutritionist who doubles up as one of the assistant trainers, butted in.
The biometrics series of exercises is a system that builds up stamina.
Like Roach, the duo expressed awe with the way Pacquiao has been responding to the very strict regimen despite pitching camp here only last week although both agreed that the advancing the preparations two weeks in advance looks to have been bearing fruit.
?Nakaganda ang maagang paghahanda kahit wala pa si coach Freddie. Kung hindi kami nagumpisa nang maaga, baka nagkukumahog pa kami ngayon,? the duo chorused.
Both, likewise, dismissed the notion that the departure of Alex Ariza might adversely affect preparations.
?Wala yun. True Alex was of help since he joined the team. Pero natutuhan na ni Manny ang mga dapat gawin para ma-kondisyon. So, walang nawala kumbaga,? Fernandez, a motorcycle enthusiast assured.
?At saka mapapagtulong-tulungan na namin mapagtakpan kung anuman ang nawala. Although truth is wala naman talagang nawala,? Neri said.
Comments
Share your thoughts on the above article by Eddie Alinea.