LOS ANGELES?With his blazing red boxing trunks and cape already tucked neatly three weeks before fight night, Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said he is ready and eager to face Mexican superstar Erik Morales on March 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquiao sparred for 12 rounds against four opponents for the first time since he started training more than a month ago and showed stamina, power and speed, giving the biggest Saturday crowd ever at the Wild Card gym something to cheer and crow about.
The open workout showcased Pacquiao?s readiness to dish out power punches in clusters for every round even as he took some of the best shots his four fresh-legged sparring partners could offer.
?It is just a matter of maintaining my physical, mental and spiritual condition. I think I am now ready to face Erik Morales,? said Pacquiao, even as he carefully folded the fiery red, black and yellow ?No Fear? garb and garments which he will wear come fight night.
Lastly on the minds of Pacquiao?s handlers is to see him peak early and burn out in training even as chief trainer Freddie Roach and assistant Buboy Fernandez got satisfied with what they saw.
?Maganda na ang galaw at condition ni Manny, tuloy lang ang ensayo,? said Fernandez, who yelled instructions to his boyhood friend as two new sparring partners supported the old group of banged-up boxers lined up to hone Pacquiao in his preparation against the dangerous three-time, three-division champion.
Unbeaten and promising Jose Sta. Cruz, bigger and heftier than the featherweight People?s Champion, gave Pacquiao a good perspective of how to tackle problems that could be hurled by Morales even as he traded haymakers that could make the weak-hearted worry.
The Oxnard, California-based Sta. Cruz, reportedly sporting an 18-0 record, gave the slow-starting Pacquiao a good challenge while regular sparring partner Raymundo Beltran got the better of ?Pacman?s? deadly second wind.
Young and tall David ?Dangerous? Avila, a 5?11 banger, got another chance at sparring next week, acknowledging that Pacquiao?s power and speed is truly not a media hype. ?He is really good,? said Avila.
Ugandan Justin Juuko, absorbing the tail-end of typhoon Pacquiao?s fury, got the shortest number of sparring rounds as the pride of General Santos teed off at will.
?Sana ipagpatuloy ng ating mga kababayan ang kanilang panalangin para sa ating tagumpay sa laban na ito,? said Pacquiao, who later on relaxed and played video games with his friends at his two-bedroom apartment nestled in the heart of Hollywood.
After the hard workout, the crowd of about 80 lined themselves for photo opportunities customary of every Fan?s Day Saturday, while Pacquiao stood on top of the ring, signing every conceivable piece of autograph material.
?He is my hero even though I am a Latino,? said a certain Luis, who drove from as far as San Diego city in order to get a glimpse of the man being touted as the Mexican Assassin.
?It is amazing that even after a big workout like this, Manny still has the energy to continue and entertain the fans. He never turned his back on anyone,? added Luis.
As Pacquiao readies for the coming week, tough Nedal Hussein of Australia and Orlando Salido are expected to provide for more depth in the pool of sparring partners.
