This archive report was first published on 20 July 2019.
July 20, 2019
Manny Pacquiao, the 40-year-old boxing legend, is defying expectations with his rigorous training regime as he prepares to face Keith Thurman in the ring for the 71st time.
After spending the initial part of his training camp in the Philippines, Pacquiao moved to the Wild Card gym, his long-time home and training base under the guidance of renowned trainer Freddie Roach.
There, he has been putting his body through a grueling and brutal regime, which includes a morning run of between three and five miles, often accompanied by a stream of fans.
Following the run, Pacquiao returns to the gym for circuits, including 1,000 sit-ups, before taking a break and resuming his training with sparring sessions and pad work under the guidance of Roach and Buboy Fernandez.
But what's truly remarkable about Pacquiao's training regime is the sheer number of calories he burns every day - a staggering 7,000 - which necessitates up to six meals to fuel his body.
From a protein shake before his morning run to main meals of traditional Philippine chicken broth and beef, Pacquiao is constantly fueling his body to maintain his incredible speed and endurance.
However, despite his intense training regime, Pacquiao has made changes over the years, and according to Roach, he is finally listening to his body and taking days off when needed.
"If he wakes up and his body doesn’t feel right or he just doesn’t think he has it that day, he just takes the day off," Roach told Yahoo Sport.
"He never wanted to do that before. But he understands now that a day off here and there is actually more beneficial to him than just grinding, grinding and grinding some more is."
