LOS ANGELES ? Manny Pacquiao will try to establish full control the moment the opening bell sounds at Mandalay Bay.
?We will control the fight. We will control the fight,? Pacquiao assured his trainer, Freddie Roach, on top of the Wild Card ring Friday during a short lull in their training for the coming fight against David Diaz.
Pacquiao, seeking his fourth world title in different divisions, worked a dozen rounds with the mitts, eight with Roach and four with Buboy Fernandez, as he moved a week closer to the fight for the WBC lightweight crown.
Pacquiao and Roach spent almost an hour on top of the ring, working on different combinations and how they intend to land them in the hope putting Diaz away early or somewhere along the scheduled 12-rounder.
?Let?s see how he reacts,? Roach was overheard telling Pacquiao after giving out some instructions. Weeks ago, the two-time Trainer of the Year had predicted a knockout win for his fighter.
Pacquiao pounded the mitts held by Roach so hard he sent one of them flying out of the ring.
?Good shot,? someone close to the ring shouted.
Fernandez took over and for four rounds worked the mitts with Pacquiao. He seemed to have some difficulty containing Pacquiao?s power but did a good job just the same.
?It may be easy working with other boxers. But not with Manny,? said Fernandez, who was breathing heavily as he got off the ring and looked like he was ready to faint. ?But I feel that each day I get stronger now.?
Even when it was Fernandez and Pacquiao in the ring, Roach watched intently, shouting some instructions. At point he told Fernandez to keep Pacquiao ?in the middle of the ring? and ?not on the ropes.?
Pacquiao shared his own ideas, like when they were working on his pivot. He said he wanted to do it some other way because he felt he could establish greater balance doing so.
The trainers obliged.
Pacquiao returns to the ring today, a Saturday, for six more rounds of sparring against a set of boxers. By the time the day is done, he would have logged a total of 136 rounds of sparring.
Roach said Monday will be the last day of sparring, and they intend to do only four rounds for a total of 140. While Pacquiao?s training period for the Diaz fight may be shorter, they?ve made up for it by working doubly hard.
?If only there?s such a thing as training a hundred and twenty percent, then this is it. Manny has worked hard for this fight. He?s ready,? said Fernandez as he flashed the thumbs-up sign.
