Manny Pacquiao’s camp thinks the Filipino boxing icon will hit optimum form in 9 to 10 days
Manny Pacquiao isn’t in perfect shape yet but he’s ready to rumble with Errol Spence Jr. on Saturday, August 21 (Sunday, August 22, Philippine time).
According to strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune, Pacquiao is already at 95% for his three-belt welterweight fight with the unbeaten Spence at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
And with 18 days to go before they dispute Spence’s World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation crowns and the vacant The Ring belt, Fortune knows Pacquiao is ahead of schedule in his bid for ring immortality.
Assured of his place among boxing’s all-time greats, Pacquiao wants to prove that at age 42 and the remnant of a past generation, he can still challenge the 31-year-old Spence, touted as one of the best pound-for-pound of the current era.
Fortune told EsNews that Pacquiao, a former Fighter of the Decade and boxing’s only eight-division world champion, will hit the apex of his training this week, with sparring to reach 10 to 12 rounds against three southpaw partners.
Next week, Pacquiao will start to taper down before he heads to Las Vegas for Fight Week on August 15.
Fortune, who put Pacquiao at 75% when he first reported for training at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, said Pacquiao will hit optimum form in 9 to 10 days.
“I’ll try to rest him over two or three days before the fight,” said Fortune. “Then he’s good to go.” (R. Luarca, Rappler.com)