LAS VEGAS – Desire gave way to logic Thursday when Freddie Roach succeeded in convincing Manny Pacquiao to abandon plans of training, fearing that the Filipino might get burned out when he meets Tim Bradley on Saturday night.
But Pacquiao didn’t give up without a fight as he even got to the Top Rank Gym where Roach and conditioning coach Justin Fortune finally persuaded him to just head back to his suite at the Delano.
“I just want him to rest and relax because he’s already in shape,” said Roach.
Fortune was also against Pacquiao’s plans to work out even briefly as the Filipino star pleaded that he would just shadow-box.
“He doesn’t need that anymore because he might leave everything in the gym,” said Fortune.
Through the years, Pacquiao trained two days before a fight but Roach says it is high-time that the practice stopped.
“Even before I had asked him not to train anymore but he insisted and I gave in,” said Roach, who opened training camp in the Philippines in mid-February.
Fortune says at his age (37), Pacquiao has to slow down a bit.
“Training is done,” said Fortune.
Pacquiao is expected to conquer the scales during the 2:30pm ritual Friday and should tip in between 142 to 144 lbs.
The limit is 147lbs and Pacquiao’s training team sees him answering the bell at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on Saturday night at 145 or 146 lbs.
Pacquiao, who says this will be his farewell fight, is guaranteed $20 million. Bradley gets $4 million.
Top Rank chief Bob Arum is upbeat the third chapter to the rivalry can do 700,000 pay-per-view buys as it is a compelling fight with Pacquiao’s legacy on the line.
Pacquiao has a 57-6-2 win-loss-draw record with 38 KOs. Bradley has a 33-1-1 card with 13 KOs.