Pacquiao now locked, loaded, ready to fire

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia —Manny Pacquiao’s guns are locked, loaded, ready to be fired on Sunday here.

“We are locked and loaded. I am more than ready and excited to show Malaysian fight fans the fruits of hard training and preparation,” Pacquiao said during his Grand Arrival ceremonies with Argentine opponent Lucas Matthysse for their “Fight of Champions” on Sunday, July 15, here.

Eager to reclaim his place among boxing’s elite, Pacquiao spent 8 weeks in General Santos City training under the supervision of Buboy Fernandez and, strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune.

As a result, Pacquiao feels younger and stronger than his 39 years and is bent on making Matthysse’s World Boxing Association welterweight crown his 11th world title in an unprecedented eight divisions.

“We had a very great training camp and I cannot wait to fight on Sunday (Saturday in the US),” said Pacquiao.

Pacquiao said he was elated by the throng of media, fans and Filipino and Malaysian officials that waited for his entry at the lobby of Le Meridien KL and promised them a good show.

The fighting senator wants to approximate, if not surpass, the tremendous success of the Muhammad Ali-Joe Bugner boxing match staged here on July 1, 1975, when Pacquiao wasn’t even been born yet. The late Ali won by unanimous decision.

While Malaysia is primarily a football country, Pacquiao believes there are enough fight fans, OFWs and Filipino expatriates in Malaysia and nearby Singapore to fill up the Axiata Arena.

To further bolster ticket sales, which have reached over 70%, Pacquiao’s management team, through his MP Promotions, decided to offer discounts for Filipinos.

Pacquiao wants them to see him in far better form than when he showed up in Brisbane, Australia, last year, losing his World Boxing Organization welterweight title by unanimous decision.

He’s fully loaded this time. – Rappler.com