LOS ANGELES ? Manny Pacquiao shadow-boxed and danced inside an imaginary ring as his fans watched on a very cold Monday morning here.
Pacquiao put on a show for one hour for those who came to see him do road work at Griffith Park. Then he tapered off from the workout and later capped his training with rigid abdominal exercises.
As he shadow-boxed, before the cameras, some fans cheered him on, and the Filipino boxing superstar got carried away.
?Malapit na (It?s near),? he said in between a flurry of punches to the air.
?Para magka-alaman na (So we?ll know who?s the best),? the 36-year-old Pacquiao added, and those around him applauded.
You can see the excitement in Pacquiao?s eyes. Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
?Basta relax lang kayo (Just relax). Manood lang kayo (Just watch). Ako ang lalaban (I will do the fighting),? he said.
It was 12 degrees but felt colder at the time.
On May 2, just 12 days from now, Pacquiao will figure in the biggest and richest boxing fight in history at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
There?s so much at stake in this fight ? the reputation of both fighters and trainers, the welterweight titles, a lot of cash and so much pride.
Later in the afternoon, Pacquiao worked out at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, and did 12 rounds with the mitts with American trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao refused stop and demanded a couple more rounds.
But he didn?t get them.
Roach opened his doors to mediamen after the workout, breaking the two-week code of silence. The boxer and trainer spoke to scribes and TV crews.
?He quit,? said Pacquiao, who was asked by a TV reporter, ?Who quit??
?He quit on the mitts,? Pacquiao responded, looking at his 55-year-old trainer.
?I was stopping him and he said he wants to do more. I said no. We?re ready to fight and we?re in good shape,? said Roach.
Pacquiao fielded more questions about the coming fight.
He said he?s not worried at all that Mayweather will come into the fight as the undefeated favorite.
?Ipaubaya niyo sa akin ito (Leave this to me). Just relax. I?m the one who will fight Mayweather. I have peace of mind,? Pacquiao said.
The problem, he said, is that it?s the people around him that?s feeling and showing the pressure from within, including the mediamen.
?Just relax,? he said.
