MANNY PACQUIAO was stopped dead on his tracks yesterday afternoon by the scorching tropical heat.
Having fought mostly in the US where summers are a lot cooler, Pacquiao was apparently affected by the humid conditions inside the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines when he reported for his last training session going into his Sunday morning clash with Mexican Oscar Larios.
“Sobra ang init,” said Pacquiao, who had a white towel draped around his shoulders after coming out of the shower on his way back to The Manila Hotel.
Pacquiao practically ignored a group of mediamen who waited for his arrival at the gym. He also did not speak to reporters after his one-hour workout, instead it was his trainer Freddie Roach who provided the quotes.
But when the Bulletin caught up with him a couple of hours after his training session, shortly before eating his dinner, Pacquiao?s mood had changed. The 27-year-old fighter sounded upbeat and spoke his mind.
“Hindi na yata ako sanay sa init pagkatapos ng ensayo kasi madalas ang laban ko ay sa Amerika na kung saan ay hindi naman ganito ang init,” said Pacquiao. “Sa Wild Card pagkatapos ng ensayo ay malamig na.”
Trainer Freddie Roach actually didn?t want Pacquiao to work out yesterday, but the Filipino insisted.
Roach said earlier in the day that Pacquiao is difficult to stop once he starts training.
“Manny is starting to cut back but it?s hard to tell Manny to hold back. I told him that today we will do shadow-boxing, speed bag, double-end bag and skipping rope and he told me we?d do four rounds with the mitts and I told him we?ll do two and we will start to cut back.
When they actually worked out, Pacquiao just did two rounds each with the punch mitts, speed ball, jump rope and shadow boxing. To cap his training, Pacquiao did stretching as his local and American handlers and a few new faces, also perspiring heavily, looked on.
Roach expects Pacquiao to tip the scales during the official weighin at 8 a.m. today “at 128 or 129 lbs” and “should be around 140 lbs” on fight day.
Pacquiao?s World Boxing Council International super-featherweight crown will be on the line.
