FILIPINO boxing hero Manny Pacquiao and his trainers were supposed to take a rest yesterday. No such luck for Manny’s handlers.
His trainers were surprised when the WBC international super featherweight champion took them to the streets for a morning run as part of his final preparation for his fight against Jorge Solis in the “Blaze of Glory” card on Saturday (Sunday RP time) at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.
They were further surprised when, upon reaching the hotel, Pacquiao ran extra miles around his hotel together with another Filipino fighter and WBC youth super bantamweight champion Bernabe Concepcion.
Concepcion is putting his title against American Benjamin Flores for 10 rounds on the same card.
“Manny was supposed to rest but when he insisted that we will go on a run, we had to follow. But he took extra rounds around the hotel, that’s why we had to stop him,” said Filipino trainer Boboy Fernandez.
Pacquiao was at first hesitant to stop.
“I never saw him this way before. When it’s a day-off, he just relaxes at the room. But this time he took extra care to see to it that he is in tip-top shape on fight night,” said Fernandez.
The day before the weigh-in is supposed to be a day-off for boxers, since they are not allowed to take anything, even water, to make sure they will make their weight.
Pacquiao and the undefeated Solis are expected to make the 130-pound limit today.
After the run, Pacquiao went straight to his room and watched Solis’ against Fernando Omar Lizarraga last Jan. 25 again. In that fight, the taller Solis scored a fifth round technical knockout win at the Orleans Hotel and Casino.
Sunday’s fight an important one for Pacquiao, who wants to prove Solis’ hunger is not enough to topple the Filipino champion. (RCM)
