IT’S cramming time once again for Manny Pacquiao. The Filipino fighter officially begins Day One of training camp at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California, on May 16, leaving Team Pacquiao with approximately 45 days to reach fighting form for the July 2 meeting with Oscar Larios of Mexico.
This won’t be the first time that Pacquiao is going to start late in his training for a bout.
Against Hector Velazquez, who he fought on Sept. 10, 2005 in Los Angeles, Pacquiao reported for duty at Freddie Roach’s sweat shop on Vine St. on Aug. 8. Pacquiao worked out a sweat in taking out the Tijuana slugger in six rounds.
When then promoter Murad Muhammad handpicked Thai Fahsan 3K Battery for a showdown on Dec. 10, 2004 in Taguig, Pacquiao prepared for less than a month knowing that he was just up against a rival several notches below his caliber.
Still, Pacquiao had to rack up four rounds in knocking out the hapless Thai although by the time 3K Battery was lifted off the canvas, the Filipino was already breathing heavily and ringsiders believed that had the Thai managed to evade Pacquiao’s best blows, he could have emerged victorious.
While it is true that Pacquiao and assistant Jo Ramos are scheduled to take the Philippine Airlines flight for LAX on Monday night, Ramos revealed that Pacquiao wants to return to Manila on June 3.
‘’We will try to convince him that he should make the most of out of his stay in LA by not coming back to the Philippines on June 3,’’ Ramos told the Bulletin yesterday.
Told that it would better if Pacquiao’s passport should given to Freddie Roach for safekeeping, Ramos said that’s certainly a good idea although getting it from Pacquiao would be like taking away a chunk of meat from the claws of a grizzly bear.
While Pacquiao’s itinerary remains subject to change without prior notice, Larios’ schedule is already final and executory.
Larios is already training in Guadalajara until late this month because he will be flying to Tokyo where he will train for four weeks before coming over to Manila five days before the fight.
