Pacquiao to consult with eye specialist

The lead car and the Mercedes Benz van with Manny Pacquiao inside stopped at the gas station in Barstow, California, on Sunday, August 22 (Monday, August 23, Manila time).

Several minivans and SUVs, all part of Team Pacquiao’s convoy from Las Vegas, soon followed and queued to refuel while the passengers went down either to eat or go to the restrooms of the adjacent convenience store.

Jinkee Pacquiao was among those who alighted from the black, tinted 13-seater van, but her husband was nowhere to be seen.

Manila-based sportswriters approached the van to interview Pacquiao, but the lead security gave the sign the Philippine senator was asleep.

He had only a few hours of sleep following a bruising, losing battle to Yordenis Ugas for the World Boxing Association super welterweight belt at T-Mobile Arena.

Lawyer Tom Falgui, Pacquiao’s legal counsel, said the eight-division world champion slept at dawn and woke up at 10 am, complaining of blurry vision on his right eye.

As it turned out, Pacquiao had a corneal abrasion, presumably as an aftermath of Ugas’ jabs that landed on his face or the scraping of gloves.

Pacquiao, who lost by unanimous decision, also sustained a cut above the left eye that required five stitches to close.

Just to make sure, Falgui said, Pacquiao will be examined by an opthalmologist.

Jinkee told the sportswriters that back at their suite at the MGM Grand, Manny asked her, “Talo ba talaga ako?” (Did I really lose?)

And, according to Jinkee, she just nodded.

Jinkee, who was shown on the giant screen trying to look away while Manny was getting hit by power punches, added Ugas was able to pile up points because Pacquiao couldn’t move.

Though he acknowledged Ugas really beat him, Pacquiao explained during the post-fight press conference that he was unable to display the lateral movements and zigzag attacks he had practiced during the six-week training camp at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym because his legs were cramping.

It’s either age has caught up with Pacquiao or his feet got overworked by the daily jogging he did in the streets of Hollywood up to Pan Pacific Park and the upward runs he went through at Griffith Park in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao, whose record fell to 62-8-2 with 39 knockouts, told the media he knew of Ugas’ strategy but was unable to execute countermeasures because his body wouldn’t cooperate.

Following the loss to Ugas and knowing he is running on reserve fuel at 42, Pacquiao said he is thinking of leaving the sport that has brought him international acclaim to spend more time with his family and attend to his legislative duties.

Will there be a final goodbye? – Rappler.com