Pacman oozing with fire

BAGUIO CITY – The turnaround was sudden as it was impressive.

World pound-for-pound sensation Manny Pacquiao put on a solid show during a closed-door sparring session, dominating sparmates at the Shape Up gym yesterday just two days after a sluggish performance that had trainer Freddie Roach sounding off the alarm siren.

“You panicked right away,” a smiling Pacquiao told journalists at ringside as he worked his way through frenzied rounds of shadow boxing toward the end of another training session.

“Relax,” he added.

Roach easily admitted he was impressed not only by the way Pacquiao landed combinations flush on his sparmates but also with how he deftly moved out of trouble – a strategy that will come in handy when he faces the hook-throwing, body-hunting Miguel Cotto on November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

“I’m happy [with his performance yesterday],” said Roach. “This is how we have to fight to win against Cotto. Cotto loves long exchanges and we have to move out to the side quickly.”

“We’ll leave [Cotto] swinging at air.”

Pacquiao will gun for Cotto’s WBO welterweight belt at the Nevada gambling haven in an attempt to nail a seventh world title in as many weight divisions.

Yesterday, as heavy rains brought about by Typhoon “Pepeng” peppered this summer capital late in the afternoon, Pacquiao wrapped up five more rounds of sparring, hiking his total to 12.

But this was different than two days ago, when he got repeatedly tagged by Shawn Porter and pushed around by Urbano Antillon.

“He’s starting to get his timing and he was a lot more focused today,” said Roach.

Pacquiao sparred three rounds with Porter and two with Antillon before Roach allowed the gym doors to be open to the public.

Ever accommodating, Pacquiao put on a show for those who flocked around the ring, joking around with the audience and laughing lightheartedly the whole time.

The Filipino ring icon and his team went down to Manila last night to distribute relief goods to victims of tropical storm “Ondoy” today. Earlier, Pacquiao donated P1 million to GMA 7’s fund drive.

Earlier, Pacquiao went through two rounds of heavy isometric training with strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza, who said the energy-sapping drills will continue until two weeks before the fight.

“We’re going to start picking up the exercises,” said Ariza. “The drills are expected to teach Manny to hold firm, hold his balance. We’re trying to find a way to generate power without neutralizing his speed.”

Pacquiao gamely plodded through the drills, leaving some members of the audience gasping at what he had to endure.

“You’re not supposed to like it,” Ariza said. “It’s supposed to be tough and difficult, but at the end of the day, it will help Manny generate a lot of power.”

Source: http://sports.inquirer.net/professional/professional/view/20091004-228284/Pacman-oozing-with-fire