LOS ANGELES, California — Manny Pacquiao’s final workout here was opened to the public and what loomed was a skilled, vicious fighter who appeared only a knockout win shy of becoming a boxing masterpiece.
The unveiling of Pacquiao, whose training sessions had been scheduled behind closed doors, was totally unscheduled.
Trainer Freddie Roach had to give in to a sparring regimen in the morning, before a big crowd at Wild Card, so they could motor to Las Vegas in the afternoon.
Pacquiao was a true delight.
It was not exactly a new Manny Pacquiao who awed spectators with newfound skills and techniques.
But the Pacquiao they saw was a far cry from the confused, overeager slugger who lost to Erik Morales in a bloody, dramatic showdown last March.
Pacquiao yesterday was polished, strong, sure, if a little fancy.
He did a Muhammad Ali, aped Sugar Ray Leonard, and banged at his sparmate with ferocity reminiscent of Roberto Duran.
Roach said Pacquiao now has power in both hands. But the problem, he said, was that Pacquiao played to the big crowd.
“He wants to thrill,” Roach said. “But you see him at his best on Saturday.”
The transformation notwithstanding, Roach said Pacquiao will have to surpass himself in the rematch with Morales.
“Morales will surely bring in his best game, he’s a tough guy, but we’re ready for him,” Roach said.
Pacquiao did not have to be told that yesterday’s show was purely a rehearsal.
To hit the greatest jackpot of his career, he has to be as good as he was yesterday inside the ring on Saturday.
Pacquiao is being paid $2 million to fight Morales again, but his expenses are mounting. He has already set aside $40,000 for tickets to be distributed to those who had placed early requests.
Add to that the growing list of those whom he had to provide plane tickets for, from Manila to here and back.
There’s an easy way for Pacquiao to recover, or even gain on, his expenses, however.
That is, if Morales, who’s being paid $3 million, checks in for the fight over the 130-lb limit.
As mandated by the Nevada State Boxing Commission, each excess pound would cost Morales a $250,000 in penalty, which would then be given to Pacquiao.
More than that, it would mean that the taller Morales, a three-time world champion, had to deprive himself of proper nutrients as fight day nears to make the weight limit.
According to Pacquiao, Morales at 29 years old would find it doubly harder to trim down to 130 lbs.
