Daily TribunePacquiao is slated to challenge Mario Barrios for the World Boxing Council welterweight crown on 19 July in Las Vegas.
Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach work on strategy while assistant Buboy Fernandez watches intently as they rev up for the 19 July crack at Mario Barrios’ WBC welterweight title in Las Vegas.
Photograph courtesy of Jhay Otamias
Aside from Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and the entire Wild Card Boxing Club family, the happiest person nowadays in Hollywood is a Thai cook whose restaurant is just a few steps away from the famed training facility.
“Tina is very happy,” related publicist extraordinaire Fred Sternburg, another Hall of Famer who was present when the eight-division legend made his way to the first-floor gym of Roach on Monday afternoon (Tuesday morning in Manila).
“Tina” is that Thai cook whose bestsellers have become not only Pacquiao’s favorites but those of his entourage and fight fans, too.
Pacquiao arrived in the United States on Sunday night from Manila and was seen doing road work and shadow boxing at the park the morning after.
He is slated to challenge Mario Barrios for the World Boxing Council welterweight crown on 19 July in Las Vegas.
Despite coming in just the night before, Pacquiao showed up at the gym where he and Roach got reunited in 2021 when the two joined hands for the Yordenis Ugas fight.
Pacquiao lost to Ugas, who came in as a replacement 10 days before fight night, on a unanimous decision at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
“Manny entered the Wild Card and went straight to Freddie and gave him the longest hug. Their affection for each other was so genuine,” reported Sternburg, who was joined during the full training session by the ever-reliable point man Sean Gibbons.
Pacquiao and Roach hit it off right away.
“Manny did ten rounds on the mitts with Freddie under the watchful eye of (training assistant) Buboy (Fernandez).”
Sternburg said Pacquiao, 46, “worked out for over two hours which was incredible considering he hasn’t slept since leaving Manila.”
Pacquiao was also delighted to be back in the same gym that served as his training headquarters since his American debut in 2001.
“The Wild Card and Tina’s place are buzzing with activity again,” barked training aide Roger Fernandez.
Meanwhile as Pacquiao was hitting the pads and producing thunderous sounds whose impact reverberated across the block, Tina was busy preparing her famous dishes such as her mouthwatering crab fried rice, chicken wings and beef jerky.
Indeed, happy days are back again.
