No overtraining for Pacquiao

HOLLYWOOD, USA – Having achieved optimum form, Manny Pacquiao is now guarding himself from another boxer’s pitfall – overtraining.

Fact is, Pacquiao heeded his training team’s request for him not to run uphill at Griffith Park Friday morning, January 11 (Saturday, January 12, Manila time).

“Inistop nila. Baka daw ako ma-overtrain, masunog (They stopped it. They said I might overtrain or get burned out),” said Pacquiao after a two-hour afternoon training session at Wild Card Boxing Club here.

Though he felt recovered from a rigorous workout and sparring session on Thursday, Pacquiao doesn’t want to push his body to its limit with his first defense of the World Boxing Association welterweight crown against Adrien Broner just 8 days away on January 19 at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

“I just need to maintain my present condition,” Pacquiao added.

Pacquiao said he will spar for the last time on Saturday, giving head trainer Buboy Fernandez, consultant Freddie Roach, and strength aconditioning coach Justin Fortune the leeway to decide whether it’s going to be for 6 or 4 rounds.

Every pound counts

With weight never a concern for the eight-division world champion at 147 pounds, Pacquiao continues to eat as he pleases, feasting on beef kebab, chicken tinola and adobo, pinakbet, and, of course, white rice, during dinner at his North Plymouth home.

Among those who joined him at the table was Michael Cooper, a five-time National Basketball Association champion with the Los Angeles Lakers of the Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar Showtime era.

Formerly the Lakers’ best defender, Cooper, now 62, owns the distinction of being the only person to win a championship, either as coach or player, in the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association and the NBA D-League.

According to Pacquiao he still eats a lot because every pound counts at this stage.

“Sayang naman ‘yong pounds,” said Pacquiao, who is just on the fringes of the weight limit.

In his last two fights against Argentine Lucas Matthysse, whom he beat by seventh-round stoppage last July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and Australian Jeff Horn, who snatched his World Boxing Organization welterweight title in 2017, Pacquiao tipped the scales at 146 pounds.

With the bearded Broner looking big and menacing in Instagram and Facebook posts, Pacquiao is considering adding a fraction of a pound so as the weight discrepancy won’t be significant on fight night.

While speed and agility are definitely on his side, Pacquiao doesn’t want Broner to get the feeling that he’s stronger. – Rappler.com