SENATOR Manny Pacquiao, the eight-division world champion, looked devastating in sparring against unbeaten Jose Ramirez at the Flash Elorde Gymnasium of the Mall of Asia Complex on Thursday.
“I am inspired and always dedicated to my work. You know how I train. I work hard and it’s the only way I can make boxing easier,” Pacquiao told Manila Standard.
Pacquiao, who was furious over six rounds, cracked Ramirez with vicious uppercuts and combinations and plans to increase his heavy sparring to 10 to 12 rounds as he approaches the Nov. 6 showdown with Jessie Vargas.
“The passion and the fire are still there and I’m excited to do my job,” said Pacquiao, who claimed that Vargas’ commitment to score an 8th-round knockout would be “impossible to do because God is with us.”
Strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune said that Pacquiao was “at his best. He was sharp and his timing was great and was determined to put on a great show.”
Fortune maintained that Vargas “will fight and won’t run. That’s the good thing about Vargas but Manny is stronger and faster.”
But former two-division world champion Gerry Penalosa said: “There is no way Vargas can last 10 rounds. His contention that he will win by a knockout in eight rounds was to keep on dreaming.”
Meanwhile, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum said unbeaten Jessie Magdaleno, who battles five-division world champion Nonito Donaire on the Pacquiao-Vargas fight card at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, has been “shooting his mouth off” and has helped guarantee a great fight.
Arum told the Manila Standard that the Donaire-Magdaleno fight is “getting a lot of attention since both fighters are from Las Vegas.” He said Magdaleno’s statements have fired up Donaire, the reigning WBO super bantamweight champion.
Donaire has been sparring 10 rounds without any trouble and that he “feels great. Amazing.”
The Filipino is training under mentor Ismael Salas, saying he has learned so much from the Cuban, who was also the trainer of Guillermo Rigondeaux and Yuriorkis Gamboa.
Donaire told Manila Standard that under Salas he “feels good.” “Salas is very intelligent. He is smart and maximized my ability to perform,” said Donaire. “I am feeling good and ready to go.”