Pacquiao tests mountainous Griffith Park
Credit to Author: EDDIE G. ALINEA| Date: Mon, 17 Jun 2019 16:14:19 +0000
LOS ANGELES: Expect Griffith Observatory Park to be filled with people as early as dawn starting on Monday (Tuesday in Manila) when Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao runs its width and length in preparation for his coming fight with Keith Thurman.
Pacquiao, the WBA regular welterweight champion, and Thurman, the ’super’ titleholder, collide on July 20 to decide who between them remains the 147-pound belt-owner at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.
“I’m again excited to run at Griffith, a place where I always get additional strength when I fight big in the US,” Pacquiao said on Saturday upon his arrival here following a long 13-hour flight from Manila.
The Park, a 4,210 acres property situated in the eastern Santa Monica Mountain range with the elevation of from 384 to 1,625 feet above sea level, will be used as part of Pacquiao’s muscle explosion and stamina building regimen charted by his training team headed by chief trainer Buboy Fernandez.
The regimen compliments the plyometric training system strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune started during the last of the initial three-week build up program in Manila.
No decision has been made yet as to the weekly frequency of the Griffith run will be although Buboy said it will depend on how Pacquiao will respond to the scheme.
“It depends. Manny might still be tired from that trip from Manila so, maybe one this week would be alright,” Fernandez said.
Joining the coaching group will be former head trainer now consultant Freddie Roach.
Fortune said Roach will have a hand in the tactical and strategical aspects of the run up program on the strength of the former’s long decades of experience training ring gladiators, including Pacquiao himself.
‘Freddie’s been training Manny the past more than two decades and sure knows him better, especially on matters of tactics and strategy,” Fortune pointed out. “Manny still needs him.”
An expanded sparring also resumes Tuesday and every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
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