
Manny Pacquiao training at the Knuckleheads Boxing Gym in Las Vegas ahead of his fight vs Mario Barrios. –MARK GIONGCO/INQUIRER.net
For more Pacquiao vs Barrios stories: The Pacquiao Files
LAS VEGAS–From the hand speed, footwork, and punching power, not much has changed for Manny Pacquiao. But recovery is a different story.
After coming back from a four-year retirement, the 46-year-old Pacquiao admits he is still getting used to the changes.
READ: As always, Pacquiao refuses to ease up on training
“Training’s been OK. I’m just being careful with my body recovery. It’s hard to force your body,” he said early Wednesday morning inside his suite at MGM Grand here.
“The mind is OK, go, go, go but the body sometimes says ‘give me time to rest, recover,’” he added.
Rest, however, wasn’t part of Pacquiao’s itinerary on Wednesday.
Despite a grueling eight-hour trip from Los Angeles to Las Vegas due to gridlock, Pacquiao got back to work right away as he hit the track at UNLV here at around 7 a.m.
READ: Manny Pacquiao hell-bent on becoming world champion anew
He then worked the mitts at Knuckleheads Boxing Gym with Filipino middleweight prospect Eumir Marcial training alongside him Wednesday afternoon.
Marcial (5-0, 3KOs) is fighting American Brian Joseph (11-2-1, 5KOs) in the non-televised undercard of the Manny Pacquiao-Mario Barrios main event on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Pacquiao is looking to unseat Barrios as the WBC welterweight champion and reset his record as the oldest world champion in the 147-pound division.