Pacquiao
Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, who is running for Senator in the May 2016 national elections, speaks to supporters during the start of elections campaigning in Mandaluyong city, Metro Manila February 9, 2016. Reuters/Janis Alano

Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach does not believe Manny Pacquiao’s senatorial campaign for the Philippine’s upcoming national elections has ever distracted the Filipino boxing icon in his preparation against Timothy Bradley.

In an interview with Boxing Scene, Roach revealed many things about Pacquiao in the Filipino’s last fight against Bradley, which happens on Apr. 9 at the MGM Grand Arena. Roach said the former eight-division world titlist has never been distracted by the busy schedule of his campaign for a senatorial seat in the country, insisting that the 37-year-old Pacquiao is in fact “extra motivated” in what is dubbed as the final fight of his illustrious boxing career.

“It has been no distraction at all,” Roach said of Pacquiao’s political agendas amid training for Pacquiao-Bradley III fight. “He is all business in the ring and the only thing we discuss is the fight with Bradley. In boxing, politics and life, Manny has shown us that anything is possible if you work hard and have faith. He has never been confined by limits.”

Pacquiao has been known for his great work ethic when it comes to pre-fight trainings. But his political campaign coinciding with one of the most important matches of his career has given doubts about the Filipino fighter’s form ahead of his clash against the “Desert Storm.”

Several people from Pacman’s camp have reaffirmed that despite the distractions, Pacquiao is in top shape to walk away from boxing with a bang. However, Pacquiao skipping from training camps due to injuries and to rest his aging body suggest otherwise, according to Chris Williams of Boxing News 24.

“That’s obviously not good because it tells you how Pacquiao is struggling to make it through this training camp,” Williams wrote. “The fact that he can’t even go full throttle during the entire camp doesn’t bode well for him in his fight against Bradley because he’s likely to be outworked by the younger American fighter.”

But the ever-optimistic Pacquiao insisted that he is ready to fight Bradley as soon as possible, barring any thoughts of setback in the former’s fight against Bradley. Pacquiao has one more week before motoring to Las Vegas for fight week.

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