MANILA—Manny Pacquiao started getting into shape yesterday and, as part of the hard grind ahead, reluctantly agreed to do away with the long locks that may interfere with his training.

After playing basketball in Gen. Santos City, Pacquiao realized that the loose hair strands interfered with his vision and went to his personal barber.

The pound-for-pound king later did stretching exercises and jogged for 20 minutes to build up his stamina for the rigorous eight-week preparations for his May 7 showdown with Shane Mosley in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Buddy and trainer Buboy Fernandez coaxed Pacquiao to start a training regimen charted by chief trainer Freddie Roach.

The five-time Trainer of the Year will be arriving from Los Angeles on Tuesday, bringing along super welterweight Shawn Porter and super lightweight David Rodela as Pacquiao’s initial sparring partners.

Briton Amir Khan, the World Boxing Association light welter champion, is also coming to work out with the eight-division world champion in the training camp set in Baguio City.

Khan also trains under Roach.

“Road work and conditioning [first],” Fernandez told the Inquirer over the phone yesterday. “He (Pacquiao) had a long layoff and needs to build up his stamina.”

Pacquiao last fought on Nov. 13, when he dominated Mexican Antonio Margarito to claim the World Boxing Council 154-pound crown.

“He looks fine,” said Fernandez, who estimates Pacquiao’s current weight at between 155 and 158 lb. “We don’t need to rush things as he may become too light too soon.”

After spending four weeks in Baguio, Pacquiao will proceed to Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on April 2 for the final phase of his training.

Roy Luarca, Phil. Daily Inquirer