Unlike in the past when his sparring sessions - long and frequent - resemble actual fights, Manny Pacquiao is going a bit light in his thrice-a-week workouts with his sparmates in an effort to avoid getting burned out.
After his first week at the Wild Card Boxing Club, Pacquiao has only logged a total of 18 rounds, a scant number considering that his fourth fight with Juan Manuel Marquez is just a little over a month away.
Mike Koncz, Pacquiao's adviser, said that on Saturday afternoon (Sunday morning in Manila), the Filipino fighter went four rounds with Ray Beltran and two rounds with new recruit Suhrab Shidaev of Russia.
Last week, Wild Card guru Freddie Roach told USA Today that Pacquiao will no longer be subjected to heavy sparring this time.
''Manny doesn't need those (gym) wars anymore,'' Roach told esteemed fight scribe Jon Saraceno.
In previous camps, Pacquiao logged between 130 to 150 rounds of sparring.
But in this crossroads bout with Marquez, Roach said he will make sure it doesn't go past 100 rounds so Pacquiao doesn't leave everything in the gym.
Even though the sparring sessions won't be maxed out, it doesn't mean Pacquiao will be doing the same thing in the other facets of his buildup.
Koncz said Pacquiao continues to work hard in his morning roadwork that includes doing the punishing crunches.
Pacquiao, who will be 34 nine days after the fight, is aiming for a knockout win primarily to silence not only Marquez but his critics as well.
Marquez, who turned 39 last August, is also plotting to score a stoppage to avoid getting screwed by the judges.
Marquez splits his time training in Mexico City and Toluca.
Go for a knock out Pacman to silence JMM and other doubters once and for all and prevent a repeat of Bradley figth hocus pocus judges fiasco.
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