MANNY PACQUIAO was sluggish in his first sparring session on home soil yesterday and trainer Freddie Roach put the blame on show business and the effects of jet lag.
“They lied to us,” said Roach after supervising Pacquiao’s six-round sparring session with Russian lightweight Rustam Nugaev at the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) gym at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in preparation for Pacquiao’s match with Mexican Oscar Larios on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Roach said they were told that the premiere of “Pacquiao, the Movie” would start promptly at 7 p.m., but it was already way past 9 p.m. when the film began. The premiere night of Pacquiao’s life story was held Tuesday night.
“We got back at (The Manila Hotel) close to midnight and Manny had to wake up early this morning for the roadwork but Manny still looked good when he wanted to (during the sparring) but you could see him struggling a little bit because the jet lag is still there and he is a little bit tired,” said Roach.
“It was way later than I thought it would be but we were already there and we were stuck there,” said Roach, who believes Pacquiao’s condition would “be a hell lot different come Friday after a couple of days and after Friday we will be right on schedule.”
“We have no more movies, no more appearances and hopefully no more distractions,” said Roach with a chuckle. “But you’ll never know with Manny Pacquiao.”
Pacquiao was a bit cranky during and after the two-and-a-half hour workout and it showed during an interview conducted by ABS-CBN’s Dyan Castillejo.
“Jet lag,” said Pacquiao when asked why his performance was ordinary. Pacquiao arrived from Los Angeles early Tuesday morning via Philippine Airlines and the country’s foremost sports hero said he hardly slept during the 16-hour flight.
Pacquiao also complained of too many people inside the ABAP during his training and it is expected that the gym will be closed and Pacquiao’s security aide in Los Angeles, Rob Peters, will not allow fans to get inside and watch the workout.
“Wild Card rules will be enforced tomorrow (today),” said Peters, whose responsibility at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood is to shoo away Pacquiao fans from entering the sweat shop on Vine Street.
“I have a job to do here. I have a big responsibility,” added Peters.
Meanwhile, ring announcer par excellence Michael Buffer is coming over two days before the fight, Pacquiao’s American chief handler Shelly Finkel said.
“He might even do some announcing during the official weigh in,” Pacquiao’s Los Angeles-based adviser Joe Ramos said.
Buffer is famous around the world and his “Let’s get ready to rumble” phrase is patented.
