Manny Begins Sparring vs Venezuelan

Manny Pacquiao shifted to high gear when he started sparring as he prepares for his title defense against Juan Manuel Marquez in November.

“Patindi na ng patindi ang training namin (It’s just getting tougher in training),” said the Filipino boxing sensation from the City of Pines.

He’s in his first week of training in Baguio, and while his chief trainer Freddie Roach said sparring should begin next week, it actually did yesterday.

Roach was impressed with what he’d seen in Pacquiao over the last couple of days, and this could be the reason why they went on with four rounds of sparring.

Pacquiao, who started doing light training almost four weeks ago, has lightweight Jorge Linares as his sparring partner in Baguio.

In a TV interview, Pacquiao said he decided to train with Linares because the Venezuelan fighter needs more sparring rounds in his buildup for his Oct. 15 fight against Antonio Demarco of Mexico at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Pacquiao also told local mediamen that while they’re doing the same training regimen, they’re putting more hours into it.

And more hours should mean greater results when the fight is held Nov. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“Padagdag ng padagdag yung oras ng training,” he said.

A couple of weeks ago, Roach said he wants a different Pacquiao to climb the ring against Marquez for the third time since 2004.

Roach said Pacquiao will be “more scientific” this time compared to their two previous fights when they “got a little careless just trying to land a good shot.”

Also training with Pacquiao at the Shape Up Gym of the Cooyesan Hotel are Filipino boxers Lorenzo Villanueva and Rodel Mayol.

“I’m here to share with them everything I know,” said Pacquiao.

Trainer Buboy Fernandez said the “real thing” comes next week, adding that Pacquiao is not taking anyone lightly, including Marquez.

“Hindi basta-bastang boksingero kasi si Marquez kaya dapat paghandaan (Marquez is no ordinary boxer so we need to prepare hard),” said Fernandez.

“Kahit na sabihin na nating tinalo natin siya ng dalawang beses eh dapat handa pa rin si Manny (Even if we say we’ve beaten him twice),” added Fernandez.

The first fight, at 126 pounds, ended in a draw because one of the judges scored the first round at 10-7 when he should have scored it 10-6 because Marquez went down thrice.

“Kailangan nating mag ensayo ng mabuti (We still need to train hard),” Pacquiao said.

(source: Phil Star)