HOLLYWOOD ? Freddie Roach has one bit of advice to Manny Pacquiao on how to spend his day off on Sunday or the day before they head to Vegas for fight week.
?Go to church and relax,? said Roach after a relatively easy four-round sparring session for the Filipino boxer who?s in for his farewell fight on April 9.
Pacquiao normally spends Sundays here in LA attending church service with his family, and then lunch at his favorite Japanese restaurant in Hollywood.
During lunch, they are joined by more than a hundred.
Last Sunday, word was passed during lunch at the Kabuki restaurant that Pacquiao wanted to spend the rest of the day in his Larchmont Park residence quietly.
Pacquiao ended up watching TV and playing chess at home Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Roach would like Pacquiao to do the same thing because on Monday, he spars for a couple more rounds at the Wild Card Gym before heading to Sin City.
The entourage normally leaves Los Angeles late in the afternoon and arrives in Las Vegas late at night.
?We still have to spar a couple of rounds on Monday. More like today, just very loose,? said Roach, again saying around this time that the hard work has been done.
?He?s a hundred percent ready,? said Roach after Pacquiao left the gym Saturday.
Roach can now look back at training camp, which started over a month ago in faraway General Santos City, and got going in this City of Smiles the second week of March.
Pacquiao, he said, did well.
?With the mitts, he punches real hard with both hands,? said Roach.
The right shoulder, everybody within Team Pacquiao is saying, is better than before.
?The shoulder is not bothering him whatsoever. Not even a concern right now. Everything is very good. I?m happy where he?s at right now,? was Roach?s assurance a week to the fight.
At times during training, Pacquiao would feel bothered by something on his feet, like he has blisters that seem to be affecting his movement.
?His feet get hot moving so much. It?s been a problem in the past but he has pads now to take care of that. It?s not a problem,? Roach told Pinoy reporters.
?He tells me his feet are hot, hot and two seconds later he?s like a wildcat,? he added.
All Freddie wants is one quiet Sunday.
