MANNY PACQUIAO has entered the most delicate phase of his training and trainer Freddie Roach “will push him harder” next week as the final countdown begins for the Filipino southpaw’s Nov. 18 rubber match with Erik Morales.
Roach revealed yesterday that “Manny had another great day sparring on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila)” against three different sparring partners for a total of 12 rounds at the Wild Card Boxing Club where Roach has been holding workouts behind closed doors.
“Only those who have business staying with Manny are allowed to stay when Manny trains,” Roach said yesterday after supervising another Pacquiao training session.
“We did five rounds with the mitts today and tomorrow we are going to spar again for another 12 rounds,” said Roach, a former contender from Boston on whose shoulders also lie the big responsibility of making sure Pacquiao is in awesome shape for the scheduled 12-rounder at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
The Team Pacquiao is planning to travel to Las Vegas on Nov. 12, a Sunday, instead of the usual Monday before the fight.
“We usually travel the Monday before the fight, but since Monday falls on a 13th, Manny said we’ll just go on Sunday. Manny’s kinda superstitious,” added Roach.
Last week, there were reports that Pacquiao would head for Las Vegas on Nov. 14. In Sin City, Pacquiao will train at a well-equipped facility inside the IBA compound just a few blocks from the famed Strip.
Whenever Pacquiao fights in Vegas, he works out at this gym owned by former Major League player Dean Chance.
Team Pacquiao will be billeted at the Wynn Las Vegas, the newest landmark on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Rex “Wakee” Salud, a confidant of Pacquiao, has been assigned to take care of the airfare and fight tickets of the southpaw’s long list of guests from the Philippines.
Salud had indicated recently that it would be better for him to go straight to Vegas to finalize the room assignments before all hell breaks loose in the final days leading to the fight.
