LOS ANGELES—Australian conditioning coach Justin Fortune believes stamina will play a major part on Sept. 10 when Manny Pacquiao slugs it out with Hector Velazquez of Mexico at the Staples Center.
“Conditioning will be a big factor,” said Fortune whose job is cut out for him as Pacquiao arrived here in terrible shape after postponing his training due to several commercial and personal commitments in Manila.
Fortune said Velazquez will be extremely motivated on fight night that Pacquiao will have to come in also in great physical shape to keep his hopes of earning a rematch with Erik Morales alive.
“If you’re not in good condition, you can get hurt easily.”
Fortune is running against time as he tries to put Paquiao in tip-top shape such that even Sundays, usually a rest day, is also devoted to training.
Fortune noted that an average fighter who is in excellent shape has an edge over a skilled one who is not in tip-top condition.
“This has happened before,” added Fortune, who is in charge at the Wild Card Boxing Club whenever big boss Freddie Roach is away.
Fortune has started to apply the Thai sticks to toughen the abdomen of Pacquiao, who grimaced in pain the first time the light-colored wooden rod hit his six-pack.
But Pacquiao said the initial sting would soon be gone as he gets into the groove of things.
“Magiging balewala na ‘yan sa akin,” said Pacquiao, who also does six kinds of exercises just before he wraps up a day of training at the gym.
During Monday’s session, Pacquiao exceeded the usual two-hour training and could only call it a day after two hours and 30 minutes.
“Kailangang tiisin dahil para sa ikabubuti ko naman ito,” added Pacquiao, who will earn $700,000 for the Velazquez bout.
Pacquiao sports a 39-3-2 win-loss-draw card with 31 knockouts, while Velazquez, 30, and originally from the resort town of Mazatlan, parades a 42-10-2 card with 31 stoppages.
