Bracing for battle
Pacquiao shakes up Hollywood, trains at new gym
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Pacquiao shakes up Hollywood, trains at new gym
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Hollywood was rocking and rolling on Wednesday afternoon (Thursday in Manila) when eight-division legend Manny Pacquiao showed up for a workout at his own gym.
On hand to preside over his training was Marvin Somodio, who told DAILY TRIBUNE that the Filipino southpaw still delivered heavy blows on the mitts.
Efforts are still under way to finalize Pacquiao’s rematch with Floyd Mayweather for September in Las Vegas.
And Pacquiao’s arrival at the Pacquiao Prime Boxing sweat shop on Hollywood and Highland only ignited speculations that the fight remains in play.
“47 sounds like (a) 45 (caliber handgun),” wrote Somodio on his social media account after the training session, stressing that even at age 47, Pacquiao stays in terrific shape.
“Listen to the sound of Manny Pacquiao smashing the pads at 47,” he said.
Pacquiao hasn’t fought since holding Mario Barrios to a draw in August last year at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
But based on what Somodio said following his close encounter with Pacquiao, it is obvious that the General Santos City-bred puncher still hits like a mule.
“He is still sharp and his foot work is still there as well as his speed,” said Somodio, who serves as Freddie Roach’s right-hand man at the Wild Card Boxing Club just several blocks down.
Armed with a 62-8-3 win-loss-draw record with 39 knockouts, Pacquiao was inducted into the Hall of Fame two months before colliding with Barrios.
The planned September showdown on Netflix will come more than a decade since their first clash when Mayweather ran away with a 12-round unanimous decision victory.
That bout generated $600 million in revenue, making it the richest fight ever.
While the proposed second meeting won’t draw the same amount, it still appeals to fight fans given the characters involved and the controversy surround their initial faceoff.
Pacquiao said that his hand was hurting and the pain prevented him from fully showcasing his arsenal.
Mayweather brushed it off, saying that his superior skills simply messed up Pacquiao’s gameplan.
