It looks like there is an ongoing psywar between the camps of Manny Pacquiao and Keith Thurman, as videos of their respective ward?s training uploaded in social media show.
Pacquiao and Thurman will clash in a world unification title bout at welterweight (147 pounds) on July 20.
Pacquiao has more training videos over social media showing him doing more traditional boxing training like hitting the heavy bag and mitts, and sparring.
As for Thurman, a good portion of his latest training videos shows him doing plyometrics and other strength training exercises with medicine balls and weighted sleds, among others.
I have tried to find videos of Thurman doing strength-improving exercises in his fights against Danny Garcia, Shawn Porter and Josesito Lopez, but to no avail. So it is safe to presume Thurman?s camp incorporated strength training exercises into their ward?s training only now for the Pacquiao fight.
This makes things a little bit interesting. Or maybe, a lot more interesting.
I recall that Juan Manuel Marquez incorporated strong man exercises in training for his fourth fight against Pacquiao. At the weigh in for the fight, I was astonished Marquez looked like a small bodybuilder.
And we all know now what happened in the fourth Paquiao-Marquez fight in December 2012 ? the Filipino was knocked out in the sixth round by well-placed right haymaker from the Mexican.
It may be hard to believe that Marquez?s incorporating strong man exercises into his training for his fourth showdown against Pacquiao may have paid off, resulting in the knockout of the Filipino.
But I was among those who were in shock right after the Filipino fell to the canvas unconscious after absorbing the vicious right from Marquez.
Now, the interesting question is ? will Thurman?s current training, with strength workouts, increase his chances against Pacquiao?
My prognosis is Thurman?s agility, speed and power in the ring will definitely improve, since I believe his camp will never hire a wish-washy group who are amateurs in training athletes to become faster, stronger and more agile.
And while Thurman?s strength training is not as extreme to the one administered by the late Fred Hattfield on former world cruiserweight (200 pounds) and heavyweight champion Evander Holyfied, which included heavy lifting of weights, strong man training does have value in increasing the overall performance of an athlete.
Another thing going for Thurman is he is only 30 years old, meaning his body can take more abuse in training including those doing exercises to increase overall strength.
However, I am still puzzled over how Thurman looks lethargic hitting the heavy bag and mitts in his latest training videos. In contrast, Pacquiao looks very deadly when hitting the heavy bag and mitts.
Or is Thurman doing some kind of psywar against the Filipino?s camp, making them believe their ward is not gaining peak form.
I have also viewed some of Thurman?s training videos for his fights against Garcia, Porter and Lopez, and in most of them, he never looked as razor sharp as Pacquiao.
But in his fights against the three, his agility, power and speed were all there, maybe with a slight diminish in the Lopez fight.
So when fight night arrives, we will get to see whether or not Thurman?s revised or innovated training is going to pay off.
