Freddie Roach, 2003 ?Trainer of the Year? put Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao through a hard grind on the very first day he set foot in Roach?s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, Saturday after a smooth flight from Manila to Los Angeles aboard a Philippine Airlines flight accompanied by promoter Murad Muhammad, Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez and chief second Lito Mondejar.
In an exclusive overseas telephone conversation with Manila Standard, Roach said Pacquiao weighed 136 pounds and although he was ?not in great shape? the ace trainer indicated ?we?ve got about seven weeks so we can work with it.? He said Pacquiao ?worked hard? in his first day at the gym going five rounds with the heavy bag, three rounds with the speed ball, three rounds with the punch mitts, three rounds skipping rope and a few rounds shadow boxing stressing that ?we?ve got to be really ready? for the May 8 showdown at the MGM Grand in Las VegasVegas,Nevada.
