Fortune: Mayweather Will Be Shocked By Pacquiao's Power

By Ronnie Nathanielsz

EIGHT-DIVISION world champion Manny Pacquiao picked up the tempo in sparring seven rounds at the Wild Card Gym yesterday with two tough sparring partners, who gave him all he could handle.

The Filipino ring icon ended up blooding the nose of Kenneth Simms Jr. in four ferocious rounds.

Simms has been described as a “burly and wily” 5’10” young welterweight from Chicago, with a record of 5-0, with 2 knockouts.

Pacquiao also sparred four more rounds with undefeated toughie Keandre Gibson, a welterweight with a record of 12-0 with 5 knockouts.

Publicist Fred Sternberg told the boxingmirror.com that Pacquiao “looked tremendous and was improving by the day.”

He said Pacquiao’ skills were evident although he cautioned the Pacman is not there yet, but was brimming with confidence.

In the face of Pacquiao occasionally getting cramps in his legs, strength and conditioning  coach Justin Fortune stopped the high altitude runs in Griffith Park and instead focused  on short bursts of speed  on the track of the University of California in Los Angeles, which he said was aimed at enhancing Manny’s speed, strength and footwork.

Philboxing reporter Aquiles Zonio quoted Fortune who said: “Manny has no problems when it comes to stamina. He can last up to 15 to 20 rounds so the Griffith Park run is no longer useful. We would like to focus more on further improving his speed and strength.”

Zonio reported that Pacquiao ran eight laps around the track at UCLA before two sets of sprints from the lowest section to the top of the bleachers.

Fortune predicted that Pacquiao’s conditioning level will further improve by  May 2 and added that Mayweather “will be shocked once he tastes the power of Pacquiao.”