Pacquiao in fine form, right shoulder and all
LAS VEGAS – Days ago, during a group interview, a reporter asked Manny Pacquiao how his shoulder felt or if he was sure there was nothing wrong with his hands, his knees or his feet.
The question came from the same jaded boxing scribe, who first broke on Twitter word that Pacquiao climbed the ring and fought Floyd Mayweather Jr. last year concealing a shoulder injury.
He was making sure nothing was wrong.
Pacquiao said he’s perfectly fine, and his trainer, Freddie Roach, said many times this week that he’d never seen his boxer as strong and as fast at 147 than today.
“I’m so inspired. My shoulder is fine and I have nothing to worry about,” said Pacquiao.
The heavy-handed boxer and senator said it was far different than when he trained for and fought Timothy Bradley last April, nearly a year after the Mayweather fight and surgery.
“When I was training for Bradley I was hesitant to push as hard like before. I did things gradually,” said Pacquiao, a boxer who can hurt his opponent with either hand.
“Now, I can say my shoulder is 100 percent,” said Pacquiao.
It’s his trainer who’s been complaining of pain on his left shoulder as a result of the heavy mitts sessions he’s had with Pacquiao during training.
Roach even hinted that there may be “rocks inside his ( Pacquiao’s) gloves.”
Vargas has also declared himself fit for the fight, the biggest in his boxing career. He wins this one and he goes up boxing’s leaderboard.
“I feel great. This is going to be a great fight,” he said.
“I will show that I’m the best in the welterweight division. My team and I have prepared tremendously in a great way and we look forward to performing well,” said the goodlooking fighter.
Vargas sounded as confident as his trainer, Dewey Cooper, with dreadlocks and baritone voice.