The sound on the other line yesterday afternoon was like gunfire. Rat-a-tat. Rat-a-tat-a-tat.
And if the other guy on the line wasn?t kind enough to admit, one would have thought he was in the middle of an encounter between government forces and rebel groups down south in General Santos City.
As it turns out, the sound that registered was from the impact of Manny Pacquiao?s punches on the pads being held by trainer Buboy Fernandez during their workout at the Wild Card Gym.
It was more like the sound from an assault rifle?perhaps an AK 47?being fired.
Six weeks before attempting to dethrone World Boxing Association welterweight king Lucas Matthysse of Argentina, Pacquiao was in his element, displaying his trademark foot and hand speed and a large serving of power.
Pacquiao?s bold bid to unseat Matthysse happens on July 15 at the Axiata Arena in Kuala Lumpur with the Filipino legend hard-pressed to score an emphatic victory.
The crucial sparring phase began this week with the arrival of Australian George Kambosos and Pacquiao is set to bang bodies again today.
In the absence of Freddie Roach, Pacquiao is pinning his hopes on Fernandez, who, nonetheless has a solid support crew led by strength coach Justin Fortune.
The target is to reach the form that will enable the 39-year-old Pacquiao to turn back the hands of time and propel himself into a position that will guarantee a return to the ring before the end of the year.
Last time in Brisbane, Pacquiao got roughed up by Australian bruiser Jeff Horn.
His trainers don?t want a repeat of that and Pacquiao has been showing his eagerness to go the extra mile in training.
The good thing is that there is still plenty of time.
