Manny Pacquiao woke up on New Year’s Eve as if it were just a regular day.
Less than three weeks before facing Adrien Broner in the first defense of his World Boxing Association welterweight crown in Las Vegas, Pacquiao scaled Griffith Park and then showed up for his afternoon training session at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
On a day when most take a break form their daily grind, Pacquiao treated it like an ordinary in the office.
With Jan. 19 just around the corner, Pacquiao didn’t do any shortcuts as he went through the usual routine.
The 40-year-old eight-division champion did the mitts with Freddie Roach on top of the ring and did the same thing with lead trainer Buboy Fernandez when he went down the ring.
Pacquiao is the bettors’ choice but the Filipino southpaw is not allowing himself to be take for a ride and assume the mentality that all he has to do is show up on fight night at the MGM Grand.
During Christmas, Pacquiao, who arrived in the US on Dec. 22 after spending four weeks in the Philippines, also reported for gym duties.
Last Saturday, Pacquiao sparred a total of ten rounds against three guys—Arnold Gonzalez, Lydell Rhodes and George Kambosos.
Gonzalez, a first-time Pacquao sparmate, wound up with a bloody nose as he marveled with the way the WBA 147-lb king handled himself even at 40 years of age. (Nick Giongco)