HE MAY have spent the last few weeks in front of the camera, but the fact remains that Manny Pacquiao possesses a paralyzing punching power.
Showing up for Day One of training camp at Wild Card in Hollywood on Wednesday afternoon (Thursday morning in Manila), Pacquiao racked up seven power-packed rounds doing the mitts with trainer Freddie Roach.
Pacquiao may have been a tad slow, but Roach still felt the numbing effect of every punch thrown by the 27-year-old Filipino superstar who meets Oscar Larios of Mexico on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
“Manny was great with the mitts and I felt his power even though this was our first day of training,” said Roach, who plans to do the same until Saturday to toughen up Pacquiao for sparring beginning Monday.
“He was not really slow but that’s what you expect from somebody who just went through a 12-hour flight,” said Roach.
Pacquiao arrived in the States on Monday night and just dropped by the Wild Card on Vine St. the next day to say hello to gym rats.
Roach revealed that Pacquiao has been staying at the apartment of adviser Joe Ramos in the shopping district of Glendale but plans to transfer to Palazzo, a high-end apartment complex in the La Brea area that served as his residence for the Hector Velazquez fight in September last year and last January for the Erik Morales rematch.
Roach said there’s no stopping the two of them from working together until June 20, the day they board a Philippine Airlines flight to Manila leading to the windup of training.
“I need every single day that remains and I would say no to anyone who would ask that Manny skip even one training day to promote the fight,” said Roach, who has opted to stay in Los Angeles even if Manny’s brother Bobby is set to fight American Kevin Kelley at Madison Square Garden in New York on June 10.
Incidentally, a news conference will be held on Friday (Saturday in Manila) at 11:30 a.m. at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. After the function, Pacquiao will proceed to the Wild Card for training.
“I have given orders to (Australian conditioning coach) Justin (Fortune) and Pacquiao’s training assistant Buboy (Fernandez) to work Bobby’s corner,” added Roach, whose sweat shop would be closed from 1 to 3 p.m. whenever Pacquiao is in the house.
Despite coming in a bit late for training, Pacquiao insists he will be in razor-sharp form on fight night as he promised not to break the heart of his fans.
