LOS ANGELES?Seventy fights, 474 total rounds in more than a 24-year span. But even at 40 years old Manny Pacquiao remains one of the top boxers in the world.
When the World Boxing Association ?regular? champion steps into the ring on July 20 against ?super? champion Keith Thurman, it will mark his third world title fight in a span of 12 months.
?I?m OK, nothing to worry about. God is good, OK naman ang disiplina natin,? when asked about his health.
But each fight represents at least about 2 months? worth of rigorous training camp along with the bumps, bruises and occasional cramps.
His worst injury was in the shoulder originally suffered while jet skiing but was re-aggravated while training for the mega-fight with Floyd Mayweather.
He has suffered 3 knockout losses but has bounced back after each one. And despite warnings from former promoter bob arum about future brain damage, Pacquiao has shrugged it off.
Prior to this 3-fights-in-1-year stretch, Pacquiao took his longest break, a 1-year layover after his loss to Australian Jeff Horn.
Despite the heavy mileage, Pacquiao has managed to stay in elite fighting shape.
Long-time strength and conditioning coach Justine Fortune believes recent changes in his habits have helped Pacquiao ward off Father Time. Some of those changes includes more rest, just as he did on Wednesday.
?He knocks out this guy (Thurman), he?ll do a fourth in December then he becomes Fighter of the Year again,? said Fortune.
?He?s good, he?s doing proper now, he?s training himself right, he?s slowing down when he needs to. We?ve been fighting a lot smarter, and training a lot smarter than before.?
Across the ring, the 30-year-old Thurman has been less active with a history of 29 action-packed fights.
Hand and elbow injuries forced Thurman to sit out for nearly 2 years before he fought last January.
Prior to that, a car accident resulted in a neck injury. But the boxer nickanamed ?One Time? insists that he?s finally at 100 percent health and is ready to continue his rising career.
A lingering question is expected to be answered on fight night: between the two, which one is the more dangerous opponent? A battle-tested champ on a hot streak or a well-rested hungry young champion?
