While visiting the Wild Card Gym last week I noticed that there were a few things missing. Firstly, I noticed that Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz was nowhere to be seen. Secondly, the absence of former heavyweight champ Michael Moorer. As we all know by now, Moorer was fired and his departure brought some normalcy back into the place.
The old feel is back in the gym. There are no distraction, nobody is being forced to pay a dollar for leaning on a counter, and nobody is getting slapped in the face by anyone. Pacquiao conditioning coach Alex Ariza is doing his thing, Buboy is doing his thing, and Freddie Roach is doing his thing. All three men know their rolls and all three men respect the others rolls.
Read up on what Pacquiao had to say recently here – http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m3d2-Pacquiao-Rebounding-from-KO-losses-made-my-career
There are many boxing gyms in the state of Mississippi, but none can compare with the Wild Card. The gyms in Mississippi do not have the same feel. Sure the kids work hard in the gyms here, but the feel is different. There is a unique atmosphere inside the Wild Card, unlike any that I have felt.
The Wild Card is available to anyone who has five bucks a day. For five bucks a day you can train at the Wild Card gym. When Manny is camp be prepared to be kicked out at 1PM and don’t plan on coming back until around 5PM. That’s the rule of law when Manny is in training.
From 8AM until 1PM the gym is filled with doctors, lawyers, aspiring actors, actors, cooks, you name it. The nice thing about the gym is that you never know who will walk in. Former world champs, current world champs, actors, musicians, you just never know.
It was nice to once again cover Manny’s camp and not feel as if I could cut the air with a knife. All systems are back to normal again. Manny is about to wrap up this training camp as March 13th gets closer and closer. Hopefully there will be more chapters ahead!
