Dibdiban na ang training ni Manny

MANILA, Philippines - Sumabak na kahapon si Manny Pacquiao sa dibdi­bang paghahanda para sa kanilang rematch ni world welterweight titlist Timothy Bradley, Jr. sa Abril 12 sa MGM Grand sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ang unang ginawa ni Pacquiao ay ang pagtakbo sa Griffith Park sa Los Angeles, California kasunod ang stretching kasama sina Filipino assistant Buboy Fernandez at strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune.

Humanga si Fortune sa ipinakitang resistensya ng 35-anyos na Sarangani Congressman.

Nauna nang binuksan ni Pacquiao ang kanyang trai­ning camp sa General Santos City kasama si chief trainer Freddie Roach at sparmate Lydell Rhodes. Magkakasama sina Pacquiao, Roach, Rhodes at Fernandez na dumating sa Los Angeles, California kamakalawa.

Sa isang panayam ng On The Ropes Boxing Radio ay inilarawan ni Rhodes ang kanilang sparring session ni Pacquiao.

“At the beginning he wasn’t cutting off the ring as good. I was able to move around and jab him a little more,” ani Rhodes. “As the camp goes, he’s cutting off the ring more, he’s making me fight at his pace, which is fast and furious. He throws a lot of combinations, a lot of punches. He stays on me, going to the body, working the head, doing everything.”

Kumpiyansa si Rhodes, may perpektong 19-0-0 win-loss-draw ring record  kasama ang 9 knockouts, na kayang talunin ni Pacquiao (54-5-2, 38 KOs) si Bradley (31-0-0, 12 KOs) sa kanilang rematch.

“I could tell as each sparring session continued to go, he gets a little sharper and little smarter,” dagdag ni Rhodes.

Sa pagsisimula ng kanyang sparring session sa Wild Card Boxing Gym sa Hollywood ay makakaharap ni Pacquiao ang mga dating world champions na si­na Kendall Holt at Steve Forbes at Mexican fighter Speedy Gonzales.

Pipilitin ni Pacquiao na mabawi kay Bradley ang dating suot nitong World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown.

Inagaw ng 30-anyos na si Bradley ang naturang ti­tulo kay Pacquiao matapos umiskor ng isang kontro-bersyal na split decision win noong Hunyo 9, 2012 sa MGM Grand. (Russell Cadayona)