Boxing News: Tough love for Pacquiao as Filipino starts training with Freddie Roach on Valentine's Day

Manny Pacquiao will not have much time to celebrate this year’s Valentine’s Day with his loved ones as the Filipino boxing icon is set to start training camp with Freddie Roach on Feb. 14 for his fight against Timothy Bradley.

Josef Ramos of The Manila Times reported that Roach is scheduled to arrive in Pacquiao’s hometown, General Santos City, on Valentine’s Day to supervise the Filipino’s training session for Pacquiao-Bradley III on Apr. 9 in Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Arena. According to Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz, the former eight-division titlist started early pre-workout sessions because of the long time Pacquiao spent on the shelf nursing a torn rotator cuff suffered against Floyd Mayweather Jr in May last year.

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“Freddie [Roach] will be arriving here in General Santos on the 14th of February to supervise Manny’s training and evaluate his present fighting condition. We are all confident that Pacquiao will win that fight. We always believe in his capability,” Koncz said.

Nick Giongco of the Manila Bulletin also reported that Pacquiao has started doing light training exactly two months before the final fight of his illustrious boxing career. Gionco added that the boxer-turned politician, who is running for a senatorial seat in the Philippines’ national elections in May, is expected to return to the Wild Card Boxing Club in Los Angeles four weeks before the Bradley bout.

However, there are concerns about Pacquiao doing most of his training sessions in the Philippines where there are plenty of distractions, including the Filipino boxer’s campaign for the country’s upcoming national elections, reports Chris Williams of Boxing News 24. But despite the potential distractions from boxing fans and Pacquiao’s political agenda, Koncz insisted the training would be strict as always.

“We are going to be strict during the course of his training. We are always strict when it comes to Manny’s training,” Koncz said.