What?s the secret behind Manny Pacquiao?s seemingly bottomless energy?
Pacquiao?s tireless energy is being attributed in part to training assistant Nonoy Neri, who is in charge of the Filipino champion?s food.
After doing his thing at the gym, Neri assumes the role of Pacquiao?s cook and he is the one responsible for whipping up nearly everything for Pacquiao except when the champ eats out with his team and friends.
According to sources within the camp, breakfast is usually Hawaiian whole wheat bread and eggs and protein shake.
For lunch and dinner, Neri prepares Filipino dishes from beef, chicken and fish. Pork is out of the menu.
Strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza said Pacquiao currently weighs 150 lbs and making the welterweight limit of 147 lbs on the eve of the Dec. 6 battle with Oscar De La Hoya in Las Vegas will be no problem.
“Manny?s doing great and we?re working on maintaining our speed and quickness,” said Ariza.
Pacquiao eats four times a day ? breakfast, pre-workout meal, late lunch at Nat?s Thai restaurant and dinner.
After reviewing the progress of Pacquiao?s training the past five weeks, trainer Freddie Roach is very satisfied with how Paquiao has controlled his weight.
“On the day of the fight, Freddie wants him at 150 lbs,” said Ariza, who spends time with Pacquiao doing drills that the boxer himself swore he had never tried before.
Asked about his impression of De La Hoya, who made himself available to the public last week in the mountains of Big Bear, Ariza wasn?t surprised that the 35-year-old legend looked in great shape.
“They?ve put De La Hoya weight in the low 150s the last few months so they?re doing a great job. (Making 147 lbs) won?t be a problem (for De La Hoya),” said Ariza, noting that “more than strength, they?ll work on speed.”
De La Hoya is expected to weigh at least 160 lbs when he answers the first round.
Roach has assured critics that Pacquiao will make De La Hoya “work for every second of every round” en route to “breaking him down by the ninth round.”
De La Hoya believes nine rounds will be too long a time for him to be in the ring at the MGM Grand, telling one of his interviewers during the open workout in Big Bear that he?ll “catch Pacquiao in five (rounds).”
Meanwhile, Pacquiao will host an open media workout beginning at 1 p.m. (Los Angeles time) on Monday at the Wild Card.
Publicist Fred Sternburg said it will be Pacquiao?s only open training session as Roach and his prized pupil want to spend the remaining days in deep concentration for the biggest outings of their lives.
