INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines -- There were the usual fitness buffs, boxers and hangers-on at the Wild Card Gym Wednesday afternoon (Thursday in Manila).

But their attention was inevitably drawn to a familiar face who walked right in to begin what would be a daily routine for the next few weeks.

As promised, Filipino ring superstar Manny Pacquiao showed up and, based on his initial training session, appeared fit and ready for his World Boxing Council super featherweight title duel with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez on March 15 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

“Today, with what we have observed, those concerns should be placed on hold,” reported Philboxing.com’s Ed De la Vega, who was at the gym owned by renowned trainer Freddie Roach.

“When Manny gets into serious training, he trains as if there is no tomorrow,” said Roach, who was joined by a group of fans in their consensus that the boxing icon has not lost a beat.

Pacquiao’s first day of training, according to De la Vega, consisted of several rounds of shadow boxing and hitting the speed bag, as well as the double-ended bag.

Filipino assistant trainer Nonoy Neri supervised the GenSan lefty’s skip-rope routine and abdominal exercises.

“But what made the day so pleasing, particularly to the serious fans who trekked to the Wild Card gym to see his first day ‘in the office,’ was the several rounds of punch mitts routine he had with Freddie Roach,” said De la Vega.

“It seemed like he never left the gym. His timing is good and his speed, albeit not yet there totally, appeared to be coming along just fine.”

Pacquiao was paying close attention to the instructions of Roach, and more than once during each round, they would stop to talk and discuss a certain scenario and how to manage it.

The teacher and his prized pupil are again plotting what course to take on what has been bruited about as Pacquiao’s toughest test yet.

Actually, Pacquiao need not fear a defeat to Marquez, whom he downed three times in the first round but salvaged a draw in their first meeting on May 24 2004. In Pacquiao-Marquez II, promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank has put a clause that guarantees another fight if the Filipino loses.

But Pacquiao is not about to let that happen. Salven L. Lagumbay, contributor