LOS ANGELES: Not even pelting rains could stop WBA regular welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao from his efforts to be in tip-top shape for his coming fight with “super” belt-owner Keith Thurman.
The 40-year-old Filipino ring icon bucked sporadic rains that struck the city and cold weather that engulfed the mountainous Griffith Observatory Park on Friday as he looked nearing his peak for the sort of WBA 147-pound unification confrontation with his 30-year-old rival set July 20 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
For the third time this week since arriving from Manila, the three-time “Fighter of the Year” ran the 5.6-mile descent in 53.6 minutes leaving dust to nearly 20 running mates as he reached the summit.
“He’s (Pacquiao) in near perfect physical condition, his stamina is superb,” strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune said of his ward, who after touching the summit, did, too, a 30-minute shadow boxing along with almost a dozen boxing pretenders, plus another 30-minute sit up exercises.
All throughout the post-run activities, the fighting Philippine senator looked happy and satisfied for the day’s job.
“I feel good. The rains make me stronger, he said while passing in the direction of this writer after his run.
To give him a rest, Fortune, chief trainer Buboy Fernandez and other members of the training staff willingly gave him a whole afternoon respite to replenish energy for another rigorous day on Saturday.
“Yeah, Manny’s on his way to getting in razor shape,” Buboy, for his part, remarked. “I don’t think it’ll take us longer than two weeks to get him in fighting form’
Paquiao is scheduled to resume sparring on Saturday afternoon following a routine roadwork at the Pan Pacific Plaza just in the vicinity of his residence at Plymouth St., Hancock Park.
Saturday is a traditional fans day, a day when most Filipinos working here are having their day off. It’s a day Pacquiao reserves for his LA migrants compatriots for picture-taking and autograph-signing.
As in the past sparring days, Pacquiao will again show his mettle against dancing mates Arnold Gonzales, a welterweight from New York, and Abraham “AB” Lopez, a junior-welterweight, at four rounds each.
Last Thursday was the day, the Pacman, finally displayed his punching power as he nearly sent the speedy Lopez on the seat of his pant several times with left-right combinations in the stomach and head.
“He’s very strong and very quick,” Lopez told The Manila Times after his side of the four-round boxing lesson Pacquiao taught him.
Gonzales agreed, saying, if Pacquiao continues improving, he doesn’t think Thurman has a chance to win.
“Manny’s getting better and better each day,” Gonzales, an Equadorian by birth, attested. “And I don’t see him relaxing in training.”