Undaunted by a breach-of-contract lawsuit filed against him in California, Manny Pacquiao went on to spar with Filipino welterweight Jayar Inson at the Wildcard Gym in General Santos City on Saturday, June 26.

It was just for 3 rounds, intended to shake off ring rust as Pacquiao has not fought since he bested then-unbeaten Keith Thurman for the World Boxing Association Super welterweight crown nearly two years ago at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao is challenging Errol Spence for the World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles on August 22 (Manila time) at the T-Mobile Arena, also in Las Vegas.

With the lawsuit seeking an injunction of the Pacquiao-Spence pay-per-view bout already widely reported, the Filipino boxing icon issued a statement on Monday.

“Paradigm Sports’ lawsuit against me has no merit,” Pacquiao said. “Under the agreement with Paradigm, I have an absolute right to engage in the upcoming bout with Errol Spence. Sadly, this frivolous lawsuit intends to distract my preparations for a historic fight. But it does not bother me a bit.”

After a training break on Sunday, Pacquiao will resume his workouts Monday night. He will jog around the covered basketball court and do routine exercises inside the compound of his mansion in General Santos.

Pacquiao will then move over to the Wild Card Gym for shadow boxing, heavy bag, speedball workouts, and mitts session with Buboy Fernandez.

According to Nony Neri, one of Pacquiao’s local trainers, sparring is slated for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays while training would continue until Team Pacquiao flies out to Manila on July 2.

“His condition is okay,” said Neri. “The power is always there and his speed and timing are coming back.”

Team Pacquiao will head to Los Angeles on July 3 for the second phase of training at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.

Neri disclosed that apart from Mark Magsayo (20-0, 15 knockouts), who is doing his training in Los Angeles, two other Filipinos – Genisis Libranza and Vincent Astrolabio – are seeing action in the undercard of the Pacquiao-Spence.

The 27-year-old Libranza is a flyweight from Davao City with a 20-win, 1-loss record spiked by 12 knockouts, while Astrolabio is 16-3 with 12 knockouts.

Astrolabio, 24, is the reigning World Boxing Organization oriental bantamweight champion from General Santos who has knocked out his last 4 opponents. – Rappler.com