Pacquiao’s training goes full blast starting today
Credit to Author: EDDIE G. ALINEA| Date: Sun, 02 Jun 2019 16:14:58 +0000
Barely a week after pitching camp, WBA regular welterweight titlist Manny Pacquiao shifts training regimen to high gear starting today.
Today’s program and those on Wednesdays and Fridays will include building muscles and stamina in addition to the routine working on mitts, heavy bag, double end and speed balls, according strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune.
Sparring will start on Tuesday, and every Thursday and Saturday thereafter until Team Pacquiao flies to Los Angeles where training will resume at consultant Freddie Roach-owned Wild Card Boxing Gym.
“We have a lot of catching up to do, “ Fortune told The Manila Times on Friday after completing the day’s regimen at the Elorde Gym inside the Mall of Asia compound, adding that the build up program has been somewhat delayed because Pacquiao had to also attend to his duties as a lawmaker.
Training session had, in fact, been canceled at least three times since the camp opened last May 25, a day after Pacquiao and chief trainer Buboy Fernandez returned from a hectic one-week, two-city media tour to hype up his fight with undefeated American Keith Thurman.
The Filipino eight-division titleholder and the WBA 147-pound super champion Thurman face off July 20 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas to determine who between them is the real owner of the world 147-pound belt.
“We haven’t accomplished anything yet, except we had succeeded in removing rustiness and excess fat brought about by at least four months of boxing inactivity. One week pa lang ang camp, Hopefully, in this coming two weeks before we leave to LA meron na tayong makikitang progress,” Fernandez explained.
“It’ll be a little bit tougher starting Monday because we have to insert the plyometric system in the program this early. But Manny’s already used to this situation we were at in our last two fights,” Fortune said.
Plyometrics, also known as jump training or plyos, are exercises in which muscles exert maximum force in short intervals of time, with the goal of increasing power.
The plyo system of 23 variations that also improved speed, proved successful in Pacquiao’s knockout victory over Lucas Matthysse last year and his unanimous decision triumph of Andrien Broner last January coming from his controversial loss to Australian Jeff Horn two years ago.
Fortune said he’s trying to bring in undefeated Australian Tim Tszyu, the world-rated super-welter from Sydney as one of Manny’s sparring partner in the absence of another Australian George Kambosos Jr., who has a coming fight in Athens.
In the meantime, Philippine welterweight champion Jerich Chavez and locally-ranked Jestoni Nituda will be on standby at least on Tuesday’s sparring.
“I’d like to see Manny spar six or eight rounds before we get to LA in two weeks,” Fortune said.
“As I have been saying, Thurman’s dangerous opponent,” Fortune said. “He’s a champion, too, and unbeaten, a little bigger but Manny can offset this on his quickness. He’s smart, but Manny’s smarter.”
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