FILIPINO BOXING SUPERSTAR Manny Pacquiao Saturday assured his fans he is in tip-top shape for his upcoming duel with Marco Antonio Barrera, and that contrary to reports, there have been no problems in his training whatsoever.
“Talagang puspusan and ensayo namin at nasa 90 percent na po ang kundisyon ko, (Our training is hectic and I’m already 90 percent fit)” Pacquiao told his fans in his widely read column which will soon be posted at Philboxing.com and Abante.
Pacquiao did his usual routine yesterday at the Rex “Wakee” Salud gym before a group of kids who later sang for him one of his songs.
After his morning run, Pacquiao reported to the gym a bit early to catch up with a late-afternoon flight on board a plane bound for Manila owned by former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson.
Pacquiao was accompanied in the trip by business associate Salud, nutritionist Jojo Sta Teresa, business agent Eric Pineda and executives of GMA-7, who fetched Pacquiao from the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.
Trainer Freddie Roach stayed behind in Cebu, preparing the training schedule of his prized ward.
Pacquiao met with GMA executives last night to firm up the live telecast of his Oct. 6 rematch with Barrera. Now a Kapuso, Pacquiao will appear in the SOP program of the television network before heading back to Cebu late in the afternoon.
Pacquiao is expected to hit 70 rounds of sparring next week, and is well on schedule for the targeted 130 rounds of sparring before he leaves for Los Angeles on Sept. 22.
Also set to join Pacquiao in the trip are two unbeaten fighters—Glenn Gonzales and Jundy Maraon—who will see action in the undercard of his fight with Barrera, whom he stopped in the 11th round in 2003. Meanwhile, WBA super featherweight champion Edwin Valero, will assist Barrera in his training for his rematch with Pacquiao.
“I am going to train with Barrera in Mexico,” says Valero (20-0, 20 KOs) in an interview with Fightnews.
Barrera has been training in Mexico and two of his sparmates are Japanese prospects who have been sent to his camp by top Japanese promoter Akihiko Honda.
