Pacquiao back in practice after one-day rest

LOS ANGELES – After a rest day, Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao was back in the ring Wednesday, hitting the mitts for 12 rounds.

"Maganda pala 'yun. (I'm) hungry, the fire is there. It's good. Happy ako sa training," said the "Pacman."

"I thought he was overdoing it a little bit, so we had a day off," chief trainer Freddie Roach explained. "Today, we opened the gates, and he kicked my a**. I must have gotten hit with a thousand and two punches today."

While a re-energized Pacquiao is happily back in the ring, his May 2 opponent, Floyd Mayweather Jr., is literally putting his money where his mouth is.

TMZ released photos of Mayweather's custom-made mouth guards, which reportedly costs $25,000. Some of the mouth guards have a real hundred dollar bill stuffed in it.

"Who really cares?" said Roach. "Mouthpieces protect your mouth. Who cares how much it costs? I can go to the 7-11 and get one for two bucks."

"Hopefully it will protect his teeth," said Pacquiao's publicist, Fred Sternburg. "I'm not sure if it will help with his chin."

Pacquiao, for his part, was not too concerned.

"That's his style," he said. "We know the truth; we know the right way. We know how to obey God."

As reports continue to show Mayweather's lavish expenses – including a $300,000 party bus – the boxer has also been showing his pre-fight preparations.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao to Floyd: Shut up and sign

MANILA, Philippines – Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao is skeptic about Floyd Mayweather's decision to finally face him inside the ring.

Pacquiao said he will never believe Mayweather’s statement unless he sees a signed contract formalizing the controversial boxer’s intent to fight him.

“Gawin niya, hindi puro salita,” the fighting congressman said in Gerry Ramos’ report on Spin.ph.

“Pumirma siya.”

Mayweather earlier said in an interview with Showtime’s Steven Farhood that he’s ready to fight Pacquiao and even mentioned a May 2 fight date.

"We are ready. Let's make it happen. May 2. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. Let's do it," he said.

Mayweather even called Pacquiao ''desperate.''

“He's in a very, very tight situation. He's lost to [Juan Manuel] Marquez [in 2012], he's lost to [Timothy] Bradley [by controversial decision in 2012 but avenged it in April]. Pay-per-view numbers are extremely low. He's desperate. I wanted that fight a long time ago," said the controversial American boxer.

However, Pacquiao has reasons to doubt his rival.

During their first round of talks in 2009, the negotiations were turning out fine until Mayweather came up with a condition requiring Pacquiao to undergo random urine and blood testing even up to the weigh in. Pacquiao initially turned down the demand and this led to the breakdown of the negotiations.

A year later, the American rang up Pacquiao and wanted the Filipino to agree on getting a $40 million flat fee for the super bout. Knowing that the fight will generate a lot more, the Filipino asked for a 45-55 split which was turned down by Mayweather.

Even Pacquiao’s longtime publicist Fred Sternburg doubted Mayweather’s latest statements.



Sternburg was alluding to the American boxer’s appearance before the Nevada State Athletic Commission claiming that some of the scenes that were shot for a Mayweather vs Maidana documentary were faked.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Pacquiao set for April tune-up, then Marquez V in Sept

MANILA – Boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao is already mapping out his ring return following his shocking loss to Juan Manuel Marquez last December.

Pacquiao’s legal adviser Franklin Gacal told The Philippine Star’s Abac Cordero that the Filipino boxer wants to make his ring return in April.

But Gacal said they won't let Pacquiao go up against Marquez just yet.
 
“April is too early for that. We will get there. Manny needs to fight someone else to rebuild his confidence,” he said.



If the results are good, Gacal said they can arrange a fifth face-off between Pacquiao and Marquez in September.

“First, he wants to fight in April,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fred Sternburg, Top Rank’s publicist, clarified that Pacquiao’s mandatory suspension following his sixth-round knockout last December will only last for 90 days.

Earlier reports indicated that the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) had meted Pacquiao a 120-day mandatory suspension as a result of the devastating knockout.

But Sternburg clarified that the suspension will run only up to March 9, 2013 or 90 days after the fight.

The no-contact order will be up to February 7, 2013 or 60 days after the fight.

“Hope this clears things up,” said Sternburg.

source: abs-cbnnews.com