MANILA, Philippines - Imbes na magpababa ng timbang, kailangan pa ni Filipino world seven-division champion Manny Pacquiao na kumain ng marami araw-araw.
Sinabi ni American trainer Freddie Roach na tumimbang ang 31-anyos na si “Pacman” ng 147 pounds sa kanyang unang araw sa Wildcard Boxing Gym sa Hollywood, California.
“The first day he came in the gym, he weighed around 147 pounds already,” ani Roach sa panayam ng Fightnews.com. “We have to keep the weight up and feed him five meals a day just to keep it up.”
Itataya ni Pacquiao ang kanyang suot na World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown laban kay Joshua Clottey ng Ghana sa Marso 13 sa Cowboys Stadium sa Arlington, Texas.
Dadalhin ng 5-foot-6 1/2 na si Pacquiao ang kanyang 50-3-2 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 38 KOs, habang may 35-3-0 (20 KOs) ang 32-anyos at 5’8 na si Clottey.
Kumpara kay Clottey na nagkaroon ng problema sa visa ng kanyang chief trainer, nauna nang magsanay si Pacquiao.
“He is doing great in sparring and we are studying his game plan as we watch Clottey tapes. He’s not ready to fight yet but we have about four and a half weeks till fight night and he will be ready then,” ani Roach.
Kumpiyansa rin si Roach na kayang pabagsakin ni Pacquiao si Clottey, hindi pa napapatulog sa kanyang boxing career.
“I have been studying him quite a bit now. He is very strong and has a good chin but he makes too many fundamental mistakes and I think Manny will be the first person to knock him out,” wika ni Roach. (RCadayona)