BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao tried hard to impress everybody who watched him train at the Shape Up Gym yesterday.
There was his promoter, Bob Arum, seated comfortably against the wall, and the boxer’s lovely wife, Jinkee, who leaned on the heavy bag as he worked the mitts with Freddie Roach.
A horde of mediamen were around as well, finally being given the access to the training day. Some friends from Manila were there, too, an all-American HBO crew, plus the countless fans.
“Manny Knows,” was the message written on Pacquiao’s shirt.
He should know.
With less than four weeks left before the fight, it’s time to step up in training, and catch up on everything he’d missed by staying off the road and out of the gym a handful times in training.
“I’m okay,” he insisted later on.
Pacquiao plans to leave for Manila on Wednesday then work out at the Elorde Gym in Quezon City until Saturday, the day he leaves for LA for the final grind.
One of his Pinoy trainers, Nonoy Neri, said Pacquiao will spar on Thursday and Saturday before flying to LA for the last three weeks of training.
Neri said tickets have been booked for the flight as he dispelled reports that Pacquiao had wanted to leave on the 25th, a Monday, so he could be in Congress, and probably deliver a speech, before boarding the plane.
The wind was howling and the rains were pouring outside, brought about by a powerful typhoon “Juan,” when Pacquiao did a total of 30 rounds with the mitts, shadow boxing, the double-end bag and the speed ball.
Early in the morning, at around six o’clock, Pacquiao went out for a run at the Teacher’s Camp.
“The speed is coming along,” he said.
He did look impressive.