AFTER seven weeks of hard training, Manny Pacquiao formally closes his preparation for his rematch against Marco Antonio Barrera today with an expected six more rounds of sparring sessions at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California in the US.
Pacquiao will complete a total of 130 rounds of sparring, 112 being held here in Cebu while the remaining 18 were at the Wild Card Gym with David Rodela and David Cervantes, both Mexican lightweight campaigners.
It needed a strong will from celebrated American trainer Freddie Roach to stop Pacquiao from doing extra workout as the Filipino puncher kept on overdoing his routine.
The other day, Roach had to cut Pacquiao’s morning run from the usual 40 to 20 minutes. He had to say no more when asked for two more rounds after sparring six rounds last Thursday.
Roach has declared Pacquiao ready and in 100 percent shape three days before they left for the US and has declared the same announcement on the final days of the camp.
According to Roach, Pacquiao is in the best shape ever and he doesn’t want to over-train his prized ward that might be the cause of his defeat.
Roach added that the physical part of the training is over and the remaining week is dedicated to prepare Pacquiao mentally and trim down to the 130-lb. limit.
On Monday, Team Pacquiao will go to Las Vegas to wait for Oct. 6 (Oct. 7, RP time) for the much awaited match since the Filipino scored an upset over the Mexican back in November 2003.
Pacquiao is installed at 375-1 favorite going into this fight, but the odds have not affected the camp of the Mexican warrior.
Barrera’s sparring partner at the camp in Guadalajara and the WBA super featherweight champion Edwin Valero is confident of the Mexican’s win in 12 rounds.
Valero revealed that Barrera has proved to be faster than ever and his quickness would surely frustrate the rushing Pacquiao.
