Grover offers services to Manny

MANILA, Philippines - The highly-regarded conditioning guru whose list of clients includes Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade is reaching out to Manny Pacquiao because he’d like to be able to bring the boxing icon back to the top of his game.

Tim Grover said he’s available to talk or meet with Pacquiao or anyone from his team at their convenience. “I have some ideas on how I might be able to help Manny,” Grover told The Star the other day. “If Manny wants, I could go through Freddie (Roach) or Alex (Ariza) or both. My intention is not to interfere with any conditioning program Manny is now doing. I’m not looking to displace anyone. I’m not after a ringside seat or a place in Manny’s corner. All I want to do is to enhance Manny’s performance by working within his system.”

Grover, 47, said he wouldn’t be making an offer for his services if he wasn’t sure of delivering results. “I’m putting my reputation on the line,” he said. “I saw how (Juan Manuel) Marquez put on a lot of muscle mass without gaining too much weight. You can do that with a training program. But I guarantee that I can make Manny 10 times better than Marquez in terms of conditioning.”

Grover said he realizes Pacquiao, at 34, plans to retire from the ring in two or three years. “I took care of Michael from when he was at his peak until he retired,” he said. “Now, I’m taking care of Kobe who’s 34 like Manny. My expertise in kinesiology and physical exercise science gives me the edge to work with athletes at different stages of their career. I know how hard Manny works out in the gym, I’ve seen it on HBO’s 24/7. I believe I can make an impact on his game.”

Grover said he’s willing to work with Pacquiao for as long as it takes. “Kobe’s a huge Manny fan and I wouldn’t be reaching out to Manny if Kobe didn’t know it,” he said. “It’s not like I’m offering my services to eight different fighters. I’m reaching out to only Manny, nobody else, because like Kobe, I want Manny to come back and be successful. This is for just his next fight. It’s not as if I’ll be working with Manny nine months in a year. I’m sure we can work out a schedule that will be beneficial to both of us without cutting corners.”

Grover declined to comment on how Marquez was able to bulk up and increase his power for his fourth fight against Pacquiao. “It’s possible to do that without resorting to performance-enhancing-drugs,” he said. “All I can say is if Marquez was able to boost his power with training, I can do that 10 times better with Manny. My concept is to fit into whatever program Manny is now doing with Freddie and Alex. I can work with anyone in his team. At his age, Manny can still go far. My ability to work on both the physical and mental aspects will allow me the opportunity to prepare Manny for his next fight feeling confident he’ll have the power and be in the proper frame of mind to win.”

Grover admitted he has never worked with a fighter before but said it won’t be any different from training elite athletes in basketball. “I’m ready to propose a program for Manny and if he and his team like it, we can go ahead,” he said. “I’m a guy who likes to work in the background. My goal is to make my athletes successful. They’re the stars, not me.”

In a letter to Pacquiao, Grover said, “Over these many years (since 1989) of working with the best of the best, I have specialized in making athletes feel younger, stronger, faster and more powerful than they did when they were younger.” He told Pacquiao, “I’d like to talk to you about how I can enhance your training program and physical/mental conditioning as I have done for many champions and legends like you … I am currently working with Kobe in Los Angeles but can be available to talk or meet with you or your team at your convenience.”

Grover said he welcomes the challenge of bringing Pacquiao back to the top of the pound-for-pound standings. He was crushed when Marquez knocked out Pacquiao with a single shot to the chin recently and would like nothing more than to see the Filipino icon return to the throne.

Grover was in Manila last year when Bryant visited twice, first on a Nike promotional tour and second, to play in the All-Star series. Pacquiao went to the Big Dome to watch Bryant and his NBA colleagues play the Gilas team. The game was interrupted when Bryant walked up to Pacquiao at courtside and embraced him. The celebrated Nike endorsers are fans of each other.

“My work with NBA Hall of Famers is enough proof that I can help athletes excel,” said Grover. He named the Hall of Famers as Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley. As a personal trainer, he has attended to over 100 NBA players, including Andre Igoudala, Paul Pierce, O. J. Mayo, Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Caron Butler. In the offseason, at least 20 NBA stars report to his 5,600-square meter facility known as Attack Athletics in Chicago. The training center has four NBA regulation courts.

“As I’ve often said, getting to the top isn’t the hard part, it’s staying on top that is,” noted Grover who was initially hired by Jordan as a personal trainer for a month in 1989 then their relationship extended to 15 years.