FROM 1-3 p.m. beginning Aug. 2, fans and supporters of Manny Pacquiao won’t be allowed even to get a sneek-peek of their boxing idol while training for his Sept. 10 showdown with Mexican heavy-hitter Hector Velazquez.
Reporting from Los Angeles, Pacquiao’s aide-decamp Joe Ramos told the Bulletin yesterday that Team Pacquiao, made up of Shelly Finkel, Keith Davidson, Nick Khan and trainer Freddie Roach have all agreed to cancel Pacquiao’s planned training to a Phoenix gym in Arizona where Roach used to work out with former world champion Mike Tyson.
Pacquiao will instead train again at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
But unlike before where he was distracted by a daily crowd during his training against Mexican Erik Morales at the gym, fans and other autograph-seeking Filipino supporters will be off limits from 1 to 3 p.m.
Going to Arizona also involves transporting all of Roach’s fighters which can cause so much hassle. Roach also trains several ringsters at Wild Card, including Filpino-American Brian Viloria, who battles Mexican Eric Ortiz for the World Boxing Council light-fly crown underneath the Pacquiao-Velazquez slugfest.
Khan said a security guard will be placed at the stairway of the Wild Card and nobody with no official business will be given an entry pass into one of America’s most popular boxing gyms.
“This is a different setup compared with the time when Manny was preparing to fight Morales,” said Ramos, referring to that epic duel on March 19 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas where the Mexican emerged victorious on a unanimous but close decision.
Pacquiao, 26,will also be housed in an apartment near The Grove, an upscale shopping, dining and entertainment complex just a few minutes away from Hollywood.
“Visitors will be screened. There will be restrictions and Manny will be watched over by Freddie (Roach),” added Ramos.
Pacquiao is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles on Monday night on board Philippine Airlines.
