Pacquiao ready for war, toys with heavy Russian

LOS ANGELES — As the weather gets colder Manny Pacquiao is just getting hotter.

"I’m almost ready," said the Filipino ring gladiator Wednesday evening while taking it easy with close associates inside his two-bedroom unit at the posh Palazzo East apartments here.

Earlier in the day, Pacquiao held eight rounds of sparring against a heavier Russian boxer Rustam Nugaev at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

"Masarap ka-spar. Pero hindi siya makatama. Minsan nga parang nagagalit na," said Pacquiao of the 147-lb Russian. Pacquiao’s other sparring mate is Jose Armando Sta. Cruz, a tall Mexican.

"Minsan nagpa-pabira ako sa tiyan parang nagugulat siya sa tigas ng tiyan ko," added the Filipino boxer.

After having dinner and spending an hour downloading his favorite songs to his brand new 30 GB iPod, Pacquiao called it a day at around 9 p.m. He stays alone in his room.

Pacquiao was scheduled to get up at 5 in the morning for a five-mile run under the cold weather, which drops to less than 10 degrees Celsius. He is normally back in the apartment before 7 o’clock.

Thursday afternoon Pacquiao was to hold a public workout at the Wild Card Gym, which is expected to be packed with fans hoping to get a glimpse of Pacquiao.

The Filipino southpaw is scheduled to face Mexican tormentor Erik Morales on Jan. 21 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas. It’s a rematch of their March battle, which Morales won.

Pacquiao will wrap up his training before motoring to Las Vegas on Monday.

Pacquiao will do his last roadwork here in LA on Saturday. On the gym, he is up for six rounds of sparring on Friday and four on Monday morning shortly before leaving for Vegas.

Pacquiao said he’ll leave for Vegas with a total of 128 to 132 rounds of sparring, much more than what he had as he trained for Hector Velasquez whom he knocked out last September.

"Patapos na ang training. Pababa na ang dami ng rounds. Pero maganda talaga ang pakiramdam ko ngayon. Maganda ang training," added Pacquiao who now weighs 132 lbs.

After one week of training in Cebu late November, Pacquiao left for LA and started serious training on Dec. 3. He came here weighing at least 137 lbs.

"No problem sa timbang," said Pacquiao heading into the fight scheduled for 12 rounds at 130 lbs.