Loose, relaxed and focused Pacquiao highlighted the closed door sparring sessions held on a cool, stormy Saturday by repeatedly pounding the bigger Shawn Porter in three rounds of heavy punching..
From right hook to his dreaded left left cross, Pacquiao was connecting on just about every angle, leaving Porter a little bit battered for the first time since sparring in his camp began last Tuesday.
Asked about it when he was finally doing some shadow boxing Pacquiao answered with a wide grin
"Relax lang kasi kayo,"he said huffing and puffing on top of the ring." "Masyado kc kayo nagpapanic."
In the five previous rounds he had with the 21-year old junior middleweight, Pacquiao was mostly on the receiving end, getting hit by solid rights and a couple of left jabs by the stocky boxer from Akron, Ohio.
Not yesterday.
Although Pacquiao also got tagged by a powerful right in general, the Filipino ring icon was in control of the action, often eluding many of Porter's crisp punches that previously found their target.
The performance got more than just a passing mark from trainer Freddie Roach.
"He was more focused today." said Roach, who just the other denounced his famous ward for having too many activities outside of training camp.
"There's no more distraction and i like what he showed in our training today. He'll get better as time goes on."
Pacquiao also sparred for two rounds with Urbano Antillon to 10 the total number of sparring he had with the two Americans.
"Are you alright Shawn"? Antillon asked the former National Golden Gloves champion as Porter sat on a stoll and appeared sluggish.
Boxing fans including the RP women's team based here led by former Asian gold medalist Michelle Martinez, were allowed to get inside the gym when the five -round sparring was over, getting a glimpse of Pacquiao doing his routine at a double end, speedball and the skipping ropes.
As he shadow boxed, Pacquiao gamely joked with the crowd from all walks of life, including children.
Then turning his focus on a group Manila-based sports writer intently watching his moves he told them, "ito ang susi ng panalo," letting out a past 1-2-3 combination before quickly moving out to another direction.
Roach acceded that's the best way to beat the 28-year old Cotto on Nov.14 when the Puerto Ricans stakes his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title.
"The more important thing is the 1-2-3 combinations and then get out of the way," Roach said, believing the volume of punches and Pacquiao's stretching routine an exercise that improves balancing and incorporates every muscles in his body.
At the same point, Pacquiao grimaces in pain and was short on complaining about it to Ariza, who kept on stressing , "that's just start of it. We're still going to do it for six more years.
SOURCE: PEOPLE'S TONIGHT
AUTHOR: GERRY RAMOS
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment