By REYNALD MAGALLON
Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is now on the finishing touches to his training, just days before he guns for history against World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Mario Barrios.
The Hall of Famer is now in Las Vegas where he resumed his training albeit now lighter than how rigorous it was in the past two months to ensure the full recovery of his 46-year-old body in time for the showdown set on Sunday, July 19 (Manila time) at the MGM Grand.
“The way I trained, the way I worked hard, to make sure I can give a good fight to the fans,” said Pacquiao in a hype video released by the Premier Boxing Champions.
Knowing full well how dangerous the fight can be especially against a prime and hungry Barrios, Team Pacquiao made sure that the Filipino boxing great had plenty of hours sparring not only to simulate the challenges against the taller opponent but also to get himself acclimated again to the sensation above the ring.
For one, it’s been awhile since Pacquiao fought professionally – four years to be exact, the last in 2021 in a unanimous decision loss against Yordenis Ugas. Barrios, on the other hand, is coming in hungry and in his prime.
But Pacquiao’s camp is confident that they have a legitimate shot at Barrios, especially that they observed that the defending champion has been a slow starter in his previous bouts.
“Barrios is a slow starter. So when Manny sets the pace… Pacquiao hits four, five, six punches combinations. Every shot hurts,” said Pacman’s conditioning coach Justine Fortune.
“Barrios is gonna be hit by Pacquiao. That’s why Juan Manuel Marquez and all these guys (Oscar) De La Hoya were saying that Manny wins. Because they–all great Hall of Famers, champions, know how hard Manny hits.And that power changes everything,” he added.
With only days left, Pacquiao’s training has been reduced to road jogging and mitts training where he is usually joined by other Filipino boxing prospects in the likes of Eumir Marcial, Mark Magsayo, Jerwin Ancajas and Carl Jammes Martin.
Marcial is part of the Pacquiao-Barrios undercard, fighting against American Bernard Joseph, who is a replacement to Alexis Gaytan who withdrew the contest due to an injury.
Magsayo, like Marcial, is also seeing action in the curtain raisers, facing off against Mexican Jorge Mata Cuellar.
Also present during Pacquiao’s training were Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco and Johnny and Liza Elorde.
