DAVAO CITY, Davao del Sur, Philippines — Elated over the result of the world super featherweight boxing championship in Las Vegas, Manny Pacquiao plunges into a final week of rigorous training today for his Dec. 11 fight in Taguig, with an eye on repeating over Marco Antonio Barrera, who dethroned countryman Erik Morales yesterday.
As decreed by trainer Freddie Roach, Pacquiao did not get his desired Sunday break yesterday.
After linking up with his American mentor last Monday, Pacquiao concluded his first week of training yesterday under Roach for his fight against Fahsan 3K Battery with a 30-minute jog around General Santos City, to where they motored Saturday afternoon after work at the Almendras Gym here.
Pacquiao had told the Inquirer he would be happy with a Barrera win, although he said he felt Morales would enjoy an overall edge in the third encounter between the two Mexican boxing greats.
Asked on Saturday why he wanted Barrera to win, Pacquiao smiled, winked and hinted everything was self-explanatory.
“Alam mo na (No need to explain),” Pacquiao quipped without elaborating.
Pacquiao himself had been saying he would not hesitate clashing with Morales anytime.
But after Morales fell short in Las Vegas yesterday, other members of Team Pacquiao expressed excitement and looked forward to the promised fight against the winner of yesterday’s classic third encounter, possibly in July.
Pacquiao kept mum on his plans if and when he again meets with Barrera, whom he devastated via an 11th round knockout in Texas last year.
But Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao’s Filipino trainer, said that, being familiar with Barrera’s ability and style, the Filipino world boxing celebrity, who kept being referred to in Las Vegas yesterday, should also prevail in their second meeting.
Fernandez said Roach shares his sentiments. He said Barrera succeeded in outpointing Morales because the defending champ could not punch as hard as Pacquiao.
Fernandez was certain Barrera cannot withstand Pacquiao’s power punches.
“Pag tumayo, tumigil uli sa harap si Barrera kontra kay Manny, tapos uli ‘yan,” Fernandez explained.
Of course, Roach himself would rather concentrate on the task at hand, the reason he has been making Pacquiao to improve his artillery with emphasis on the right hand.
Roach had the feeling that, if Pacquiao had thrown more right punches against Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas last May, he would have taken the twin world crowns of his Mexican rival.
It’s first things first though and Pacquiao is being made to perfect a right stab to the mid-section, executed from a slight bend, because the weapon is deemed very effective against his immediate opponent, a Thai left-hander.
If Pacquiao perfects that right punch, then succeeds against Fahsan 3K Battery, he should be fully loaded in February against Marquez, who escaped in May after being downed three times in the first round.
If Pacquiao finally puts away Marquez, Barrera could be next for the Filipino ring idol in July, based on the HBO calendar.
Of course, Pacquiao knows all these would require loads and loads of hard work to achieve and nobody could be more excited than him about the task at hand.
Yesterday, he led the drive back to this city from his place in General Santos City to start a rigorous regimen, topped by another rigid sparring session, at Almendras starting today.
