AFTER a two-day rest, Manny Pacquiao begins sparring sessions today at the Shape Up Boxing Gym of the Cooyeesan Hotel in Baguio City as he steps up his preparations for his May 7 (May 8 in Manila) title fight against Shane Mosley in Las Vegas. A three-round sparring session against undefeated welterweight Shawn Porter, who also helped him prepare in his fight against Miguel Cotto two years ago, signals Pacquiao’s return to boxing since his unanimous decision win over Mexican Antonio Margarito last November in Dallas. Also waiting in the wings is lightweight David Rodela.
Trainer Freddie Roach, in a telephone interview yesterday, said a sparring session with Rodela will depend on Pacquiao’s condition.
Pacquiao was supposed to resume training last Saturday at the Elorde Sports Complex in Paranaque City, a day after receiving the "Quintessential Athlete" Award in last Friday’s Gabriel "Flash" Elorde Awards night, but cancelled it. He and his team returned to Baguio City last Sunday.
"He gave himself a two-day rest and I have no quarrel with that. He needs it after almost burning himself out the past two weeks in our efforts to restore his condition after four months of inactivity," said Roach, who waited for his ward for two hours at Elorde.
"We’re way ahead of our schedule anyway, so we thought not going to the gym Saturday and Sunday would, in turn, replenish his strength for a more rigorous next week in Baguio," Roach, 51, added.
"Our initial weeks in Baguio have been excellent. We’ve attained what we’re targeting to accomplish. There had been little distractions. He’s very happy training and doing what he likes to do. No problem really," Roach said.
In a separate interview, Pacquiao explained his decision to take a two-day break, saying: "Ang pinaghahandaan naman natin ay mahigit pang isang buwan mula ngayon. So, doon pa sa araw na ‘yun dapat tayong mag-peak o kaya one week before that.
"Alam naman naming lahat, ni Freddie, ni Alex (Ariza) at ng aming mga kasama ang gagawin namin para mapaghandaan ang laban kaya hindi dapat mag-alala ang marami kung paminsan-minsan ay makapagpahinga ako ng bahagya," Pacquiao said.
Pacquiao, 32, stakes his World Boxing Organization welterweight crown against Mosley, a three-division champion.
Ariza, Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach, concurred with Roach, saying the two-day respite could be a "blessing in disguise" as Pacquiao goes into the crucial stage of his training.
"He will be pushing himself twice as hard this coming weeks compared to the past two weeks so that respite could turn out to be better than those who don’t know Manny," Ariza said.
Eddie Alinea, Business Malaya
