Roach marvels at Pacman?s fierce form
LAS VEGAS ? Manny Pacquiao held his final sparring session Monday, worked the mitts with Freddie Roch and left his trainer feeling his left shoulder if it was still there.
Pacquiao opened up fight week for his WBO welterweight clash with Jessie Vargas by sparring four rounds with Rey Beltran at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
The session began shortly after noon. It was relatively light. The two boxers shared some banter inside the ring but in the fourth round,
Pacquiao pressed his attack and chased the Mexican around the ring. At one point, Beltran took a couple of hard hits and almost lost his balance.
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After the final bell, the two boxers embraced at the center of the ring. It was the final sparring for Pacquiao heading to Saturday?s fight at the Thomas & Mack Center.
Then Roach climbed the ring, wearing a pair of boxing mitts. He did four rounds with Pacquiao, his hands absorbing punches that sounded like the banging of the door. Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
At the end of their session, Roach spoke to Filipino reporters.
Roach said his shoulders, especially the left one, continue to hurt as a result of the pounding. One more round inside the ring with Pacquiao and he could have torn his own rotator cuff.
?I?ve never had shoulder problems like I do now,? said the 56-year-old
Roach. Perhaps there?s only a handful persons in the world at his age who can absorb such blows.
?Last night I had to put anti-inflammatories on my shoulder to go to sleep. He?s really punching well. He has good power. Now he?s in a good position,? he said.
?I think he?s better now than ever. If he carries this over to the ring I?d be the happiest man. It?s the power, the footwork, the speed,? Roach said.
From the ring, Pacquiao worked on the heavy bag and the double-end bag, but not as long as he did the past week in LA and the past month or two in Manila.
Pacquiao worked on his six-pack but with far lesser reps. On a regular training day, he does around 1,700 crunches morning and afternoon.
It was time to slow down.
Pacquiao capped his workout, witnessed by a very small audience that included Filipino scribes and his long-time friend in boxing, Filipino Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol.
?No stills (photos). No videos. Cameras down,? the voice of American publicist Fred Sternburg rang out before the sparring session got going.
Pacquiao freshened up after his workout and headed to his favorite Thai restaurant for late lunch consisting of chicken tinola, chicken adobo and white rice.
Then he headed to Las Vegas, a 300-mile road trip that takes around four to five hours, leading a short convoy of identical Escalades and Suburbans.
The Pacquiao bus that can easily seat 40 persons left for Vegas at exactly 3 p.m. with only two dozen passengers when in the past, you can?t grab an empty seat.
?Vegas na,? Pacquiao said as he prepared to leave the gym.
?Bakbakan na (It?s fight time),? he added.
