HOLLYWOOD ? Freddie Roach planted his eyes on Manny Pacquiao as the retiring eight-division champion stepped inside the dressing room of the Wild Card Gym Friday afternoon.
Right away, Roach knew it wasn?t a good day to train.
?He looked tired in the dressing room so there was no sense working out today,? Roach told Manila scribes after he sent Pacquiao off without breaking a sweat.
?He sparred 12 rounds yesterday and he?s a little tired today so the best thing to do is give him a day rest. He will box eight rounds tomorrow,? he said.
It?s not the first time in this camp Pacquiao skipped working out at the gym. A couple of times in General Santos City weeks ago he also took some extra time off.
Scribes just got a little curious because it was in the same manner when Pacquiao started skipping gym sessions for the super fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. last May. Sportshub ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
It turned out that Pacquiao had hurt his shoulder just a couple of weeks to the fight.
Roach assured that it?s not the same case.
?He seems fine. It?s just another day off. He?ll spar tomorrow and I hope he gets more rest Sunday,? said the celebrated trainer.
Roach stressed that Pacquiao did not ask for the gym session to be called off.
?I suggested it,? he said.
Pacquiao arrived at the gym at 3 p.m., an hour late from the normal routine, on board his black Mercedes SL550 driven by his good friend, Abbas Ahmadi.
According to his aides, Pacquiao got home from his morning run up and down Griffith Park nearing noontime, and needed longer time to rest.
It came as a surprise for scribes waiting outside the gym when Pacquiao left less than an hour after he arrived. On his way out, he stopped by to greet his fans.
Pacquiao was signing autographs when Ahmadi, a Mitsubishi car dealer in the East Coast, rolled down the windows of the roadster.
The STAR asked Pacquiao where he was heading.
?Pinagpahinga ako (I was made to rest),? Pacquiao replied.
?Twelve rounds (sparring) tayo kahapon then Griffith pa kanina (earlier today). Pukpok sa takbo (I ran hard). Nag-planning lang kanina,? he said.
Pacquiao will spar eight rounds Saturday.
Over at Palm Springs, California, which is a couple of hours away, Timothy Bradley is gearing up for the April 9 showdown in Las Vegas.
Word is he?s not skipping a beat.
