Binalewala ni eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao ang banta ng makakaharap niyang Amerikanong si Chris Algieri sa Nobyembre 22 sa Macau, China dahil kumpiyansa siyang magwawagi sa laban para sa WBO welterweight crown.
“I am aware of his feeling but I am also confident that I am going to win the fight. I know he is doing his best in training and I am doing my best in training so the fans are going to see a good fight,” sinabi ni Pacquiao sa Philboxing.com.
Ayon kay Pacquiao, napatunayan ni Algieri na may kakayahan itong maging kampeon nang talunin ang ka-stable niya sa Wildcard Gym na si Russian Ruslan Provodnikov kaya nageensayo siyang mabuti.
“We are not taking him lightly for this fight and we are training hard for this fight because of what he proved in the Ruslan fight,” diin ni Pacquiao na umamin ding naka-focus lamang sa boksing ngayon. “Right now I have an assistant coach and he will coach the basketball team. Right now I am focused on my training. After the fight I will come back to the team and be focused on coaching the team.”
Empleyadong lasing, patay matapos sapakin ng ginising na katrabaho
Inamin din ni Pacquiao na bagong karanasan sa kanya ang paglalaro sa Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) at hindi siya nabahala na mapipinsala sa maikling paglalaro.
“It was a good experience to play in a professional basketball game like that. I didn’t play long, I just wanted to help my team and that’s why I played,” ani Pacquiao. “Professional basketball in the Philippines is very competitive and more importantly, we won the first game. I felt very excited and a little nervous because it was the first game and there were over 52,000 fans.”
Ayon sa Pambansang Kamao, bagamat mas nag-e-enjoy siya sa boksing ay nakatutulong ang basketball sa kanyang galaw sa ibabaw ng ring.
“I am enjoying boxing, but my favorite sport outside of boxing is basketball. That’s why I go to the basketball court – my cross training is basketball to keep in shape between fights. I also like basketball,” giit ng WBO welterweight champion.
Batid din niya na mapanganib kalaban si Algieri kaya lubos ang kanyang pagsasanay sa ilalim ni trainer Freddie Roach.
“We cannot go into the fight thinking about the knockout. A knockout will not change the result of the fight as long as we get the win,” dagdag ni Pacquiao. “What we are trying to do right now is to get the focus in training and for the fight that people want to see. Chris Algieri is a very dangerous fighter and we are taking nothing for granted in this training camp.”
