Manny Pacquiao, preparing to return to the boxing ring at 46 on Saturday in Las Vegas, escaped the suffocating heat Wednesday, July 16.
But not as long as expected.
The Filipino star did shadow boxing and ab work inside the Las Vegas’ Raiders training facility. But with an unexpected breeze outside, Pacquiao did a light jog around the outdoor fields, said Marcus Padilla, the Raiders’ Senior Director of Broadcast, who arranged the visit.
“It was awesome,’’ Padilla said.
Will Carless, head of the Raiders’ communications and public relations department, also confirmed Pacquiao’s visit.
The work was some of Pacquiao’s final training before his fight with Mario Barrios, which will be his first since 2021, when he lost to Yordenis Ugas by unanimous decision.
The visit began on Wednesday before 8 a.m. when Pacquiao arrived with an entourage of about 15 people that included his trainer, Freddie Roach.
Typically, when in Las Vegas for a fight, Pacquiao runs at UNLV.
“I think they’re going to have to talk sense in Manny because he would run through Hades and train, and I don’t know if he’s as concerned about conserving his energy,’’ Padilla said before the visit.
No luck.
Although the temperature reached 88 degrees by 8 a.m., Pacquiao still headed for a walk and light jog around the three outdoor fields at the Raiders’ Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson – about 12 miles from MGM Grand Garden Arena where Pacquiao will fight Saturday night.
Manny Pacquiao’s grasp of football
Pacquiao’s manager, Sean Gibbons, said he wasn’t sure if the legendary boxer even knows how many yards it takes to get a first down.
“Manny’s passion is basketball and chess,’’ Gibbons told USA TODAY Sports before Pacquiao’s visit to the Raiders’ facility.
But Gibbons said Pacquiao has developed a friendship with Camryn Bynum, a safety for the Indianapolis Colts whose mother is Filipino.
This is not the Raiders’ foray into the world of boxing. Tyson used property owned by Raiders owner Mark Davis to build a gym he used while training for his fight against Jake Paul on Nov. 15.
While Tyson lost to the former YouTuber, Pacquiao, who has won world titles in eight weight divisions, is taking on a more daunting, much stiffer challenge. He is seeking to become the first Hall of Fame boxer to win a world title. The WBC welterweight title will be on the line when he fights 30-year-old Mario Barrios, the reigning WBC champion.
Pacquiao, who was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in June, has not held a world title since losing the WBO welterweight championship in 2017 to Jeff Horn by unanimous decision.
How did Pacquiao’s visit materialize
Padilla, who is Filipino and president of the Raiders’ Asian Pacific Islander group, said his attempt to get Pacquiao to the Raiders fell through in 2009 when the Raiders were still in Oakland.
After learning about Pacquiao’s comeback, Padilla said, he visited the boxer’s training camp in Los Angeles and set in motion the boxer’s visit to the Raiders’ training facility.
Upon Pacquaio’s arrival at the facility, Padilla said, the boxer marveled at the facility and said, “Big. Amazing.’’
The Raiders also have made their facility available to soccer superstar Neymar and WWE superstar Roman Reigns, according to Padilla and Kiss.
