Pacquiao back in Vegas, awaits Thurman showdown

LAS VEGAS — Manny Pacquiao on Monday (Tuesday Manila time) returned to the site of his biggest fights, eager to show the result of a rigorous two-month training regimen and prove that he can still take on another young gun in Keith Thurman this weekend.

Pacquiao broke his Los Angeles camp before making the six-hour trip to the Sin City, and he didn’t do it easily. He ran one last time at the uphill Griffith Observatory in the morning and again sparred at the Wild Card Gym in the afternoon.

After going four rounds with chief sparmate Abraham "AB" Lopez, the Filipino icon worked the mitts with head trainer Buboy Fernandez, polishing his offense that includes a quick and powerful counter right hook — which could be the money shot against a forward-coming Thurman.

Pacquiao will try to unify his WBA “regular” championship with Thurman’s “super” title, motivated by his upcoming foe’s unbeaten record (Thurman is 29-0, with 22 knockouts,) and loud mouth.

In a recent conference call, Pacquiao said that while nothing has changed in the way he fights, his extensive experience should spell the difference against the younger Thurman.

“How I fight in the ring and my strategy, my footwork, that’s not changing but it’s still the same. But I’m more experienced and my timing in the ring is better than ever,” said the 40-year-old boxing legend.

During the fight week here, it will be pure fine-tuning for Pacquiao. His schedule includes light jogging in the morning at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas oval, followed by light mitt work in the afternoon.

But knowing Pacquiao and his obsession with workouts, it won’t be a surprise if he goes the extra mile again.

“I really love exercise. I’m addicted to exercise,” he said.

Many times at the Wild Card, his team had to force him to slow down, fearing a burnout.

“We gotta pull him back. He never overtrains,” Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune told Filipino reporters the other day.

As usual, Pacquiao is staying at a posh suite inside the MGM Grand, which also houses the Grand Garden Arena where the fight will be staged.

It’s oven-hot in Las Vegas right now, at the peak of summer, with temperatures reaching as high as 38 degrees Celsius in the afternoon.

Pacquiao usually holds his US fights during spring, but he doesn’t mind trying different things even at his age.

“I’m thinking about what I can do for the fans,” he said.

Pacquiao and Thurman will again cross paths Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time) when they make their grand arrival at the MGM lobby. When asked what he’ll say to Thurman once they meet face to face again, Pacquiao replied that he no longer cares what other words come from his brash opponent’s mouth.

But Thurman rattled cages with his tirades, which included a threat to “crucify” Pacquiao.

“The trash-talk that he did, he made even my mom get mad,” he added.

Pacquiao is just raring to let his fists do the talking on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).

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