PACQUIAO GETS HEAVY BEATING
The sticks are used in whipping Muay fighters into fiery form as it increases a fighter’s threshold for pain
Conditioning coach Justin Fortune yesterday recalled the Thai stick to active duty years after it was last utilized.
The recipient was no other than Manny Pacquiao, on whose arms, biceps and abdomen the dreaded 20-incher found its target repeatedly until the Filipino legend grimaced in pain and gave Fortune a look of disgust and disdain.
Pacquiao, training for the 21 August clash with the young and undefeated Errol Spence, was introduced to Fortune’s sticks way back in 2003 in the run-up to the first Marco Antonio Barrera fight in San Antonio, Texas.
Since then, Fortune, who used to fight as a heavyweight, picked it up and used it to toughen up Pacquiao although there was a time when it wasn’t used at all when Alex Ariza was handling the strength and conditioning.
Fortune said the sticks are used in whipping Muay fighters into fiery form as it increases a fighter’s threshold for pain.
But it was back in use at the Wild Card Boxing Club again as they all rev up for a wild ride with Spence next month at the T-Mobile in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao, 42, is on his second week of training in the United States after arriving there from Manila on 2 July.
The Spence showdown will be Pacquiao’s first fight in over two years.
Yesterday actually marked Pacquiao’s last ring appearance as it was on that day he defeated Keith Thurman in 12 rounds at the MGM Grand.
After downing Thurman, Pacquiao was unable to fight owing to the pandemic.