PASAY CITY ? Reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) Welterweight king Manny Pacquio had formally started his training camp on Monday (May 8) in preparation for his first title defense against an undefeated challenger.
Pacquiao was scheduled to fight Australian boxer Jeff Horn on July 2 in Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.
Pacquiao is training at the Elorde Boxing Gym at Five-eCom building which is located within the Mall of Asia (MOA) commercial complex.
Pacquiao?s childhood buddies Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri are currently overseeing the Pinoy ring idol?s initial phase of training.
Head coach Freddie Roach is expected to take over as soon as he arrives in Manila either late this week or earlier next week.
Pacquiao started his Tuesday training by doing warm-up exercises and stretching before spending three minutes in shadow boxing, three more minutes in the heavy bag, double-end ball, speed ball and skipping rope.
The Pinoy ring legend performed around 600 abdominal exercises before capping his Monday?s training with a prayer.
Photos by Wendell Alinea / OSMP.
?I am excited to go back to the gym after about a six-month?s lay off. I really miss training at the gym with the members of Team Pacquiao and fans around,? Pacquiao said.
It?s easy for the Pinoy boxing icon to shake off rust as he always keeps himself in good shape by playing basketball, billiard and chess daily.
Fernandez said the start of their training is just on time considering that his bosom buddy is a hardworking and disciplined fighter.
?He trains hard at the gym and keeps himself in good shape even when there?s no fight. So, we expect him to be in tip-top shape during the scheduled fight,? Fernandez said.
Pacquiao will train at the Elorde Boxing gym until May 31 then transfer to his own Wild Card Boxing Gym in General Santos City until the third week of June.
Senate will again take a break from June 1 to July 2. Session will resume on July 3 or a day after the fight.
The boxer-senator is bored of monstrous traffic in Metro Manila and he wants to spend the last four weeks of his training right in his home where there?s fresh air and conducive for a high-altitude road run.
Pacquiao?s high-altitude roadwork is done during Monday, Wednesday and Friday (MWF).
He jogs in the morning at the rubberized track oval of the Antonio C. Acharon Memorial Sports Complex in Gensan when he has a scheduled sparring session.
Sparring session is every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (TTH).
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