‘No need to worry about Pacman’

Manny Pacquiao's fans should not be worried about the eight-division world champion’s condition because he prefers to hold training camp in General Santos City much longer than usual.
Team Pacquiao adviser Wakee Salud said Buboy Fernandez, the boxing icon’s assistant trainer, and close friend, is quietly training in General Santos City as part of Pacquiao’s buildup for his fourth meeting with Juan Manuel Marquez (54-6-1, 39 knockouts) of Mexico on December 8 at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas. Pacquiao (54-4-2, 38 KOs) delayed his flight to the US to file his certificate of candidacy. He is seeking a second term as Sarangani province’s lone congressman in next year’s elections. He has been training since the last week of September under Fernandez.
“Pacquiao is continuously training in GenSan. Everything is under coach Freddie Roach’s fight plan and designed to keep him in fighting shape,” said Salud in Filipino. “By the time he arrives in LA, he will start with his sparring sessions.”
Salud added that Pacquiao decided to stay longer in General Santos because the province’s hot climate suits his regimen. Pacquiao is less distracted in General Santos City, unlike in Baguio City and Manila when he trains inside a gym.
“No one approaches him for photos or autographs. So he is more focused on his training,” said Salud, adding that Pacquiao and members of his entourage will leave for the US on October 27.
Mike Koncz, Pacquiao’s financial adviser, also believes the General Santos training will not affect the Filipino’s preparations for the Marquez fight.
“The GenSan training is the contingency plan made by Team Pacquiao. Coach Freddie and Buboy are on top of the situation,” said Koncz.
Pacquiao, listed ninth in Men’s Health magazine’s 100 fittest men of all time, higher than the likes of boxing legend Muhammad Ali and football superstar David Beckham, suffered a controversial split-decision loss in his last fight against undefeated American Timothy Bradley in June this year, causing him to lose his World Boxing Organization welterweight belt.
Pacquiao’s first meeting with Marquez on May 8, 2004, ended in a draw while their rematch four years ago had the Filipino southpaw winning by a split decision. He again defeated his Mexican archrival in their third meeting last year scoring a highly-debatable majority decision win.
Marquez, for a fourth time, wants to prove once and for all that what he’s been claiming is true. He insisted, after three controversial endings, that he beat Pacquiao in all three fights and even wrote a book that was published this year detailing the said events.

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