Pacquiao Look Amazing as Training For Bradley Takes Off
Pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao demonstrated incredible hand speed and amazing power Tuesday during a workout at his MP Towers Gym which sits on the old L&M Gym site where he trained as a young aspiring boxer in the mid 90’s.
Pacquiao ripped into the punch-mitts and drove longtime friend and Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez to claim that in all the years he has worked out with Pacquiao he has never felt such power.
Fernandez said he was surprised that after one week’s training in General Santos City he saw a “huge difference between the Manny Pacquiao of his previous fights and a very different Pacquiao today. He is like the hungry teenaged fighter who first came to Manila. He’s hungry again. It’s the old Manny.”
He explained that this is because of a dramatic change in Pacquiao’s lifestyle with “no late nights and no problems to think about. His only mission is to study the Bible. When you see that he is known the world over and is a congressman and you see him in front of you explaining the scriptures no matter who you are, your hair will stand on end.”
While recalling the many who criticized Pacquiao’s performance in his more recent fights with Shane Mosley and his controversial decision over Juan Manuel Marquez in their third fight, I will tell you now after what I witnessed this afternoon I am sure he will drop Bradley. I feel there is someone guiding him.”
Fernandez remarked that Pacquiao was once again a hungry fighter and with his current condition he is confident that undefeated light welterweight champion Timothy “Desert Storm” Bradley will be staring at a knockout.
He said “I am big but if he connects with one shot it will be an early night for me, which will be the same for Bradley.”
Fernandez added that “when Manny gets to Baguio, Freddie Roach will be stunned to see what shape Pacquiao is in.”
Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz said they are not underestimating Bradley because “he’s a young fighter with an opportunity to prove himself to the world. Manny was the same way many years ago. I’m sure Bradley will come prepared in the best shape he cam be in and will give it all he has that’s why I believe its going to be a very exciting fight with a lot of punches thrown .”
However Koncz said he is confident that Pacquiao “is going to prevail. I’m sure how long the fight will last but it will be a very good fight. Manny knows that because of his showing in the last fight he needs to add an exclamation mark to this fight so I think he’s going to go out there and try to end it early and the fans will win again.”
Unknown to many, Pacquiao has been training in General Santos City to get into shape when his Baguio City training camp opens tomorrow with trainer Freddie Roach and strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza who have been in Baguio since over a week ago training former WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan for his rematch with Lamont Peterson, the fighter who took the title away from Khan in a controversial decision.
by Ronnie Nathanielsz