By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Filipino ring gladiator Manny Pacquiao is “looking good” according to Michael Koncz who helped secure important fights for his brother Bobby Pacquiao and WBO Asia Pacific bantamweight champion and world No. 3 Rey “Boom Boom” Bautista.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Koncz said he had stayed behind at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym after Bautista worked out with Roach and Filipino trainer Edito “Ala” Villamor to watch Pacquiao train and was impressed..
Koncz said Pacquiao is “training very hard” like he normally does when he starts preparing for a fight and that Roach “is pushing him.” Roach himself has stressed that there was no other fighter who was as dedicated, hardworking and focused as Pacquiao when he trains.
Koncz revealed that the 2003 “Trainer of the Year” was “serious” and that and they were “ kicking everybody out of the gym except the pros who are training there.” Koncz disclosed that “they are strict this time and even have a retired police officer at the door” to stop the usual hangers-on from distracting Pacquiao during training.
Koncz said he, Bautista and Villamor were invited to Denny’s after training “since Manny was by himself” and “Rey and Edito ordered steaks for the guys and we chatted for a while.” While Koncz conceded that Pacquiao was training very hard he “just wished he would have had a couple of extra weeks” which was a view expressed earlier by Filipino trainer and longtime friend Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez after a workout of Pacquiao at the L&M Gym last Friday.
