Pacquiao under the weather - Ariza

MANILA, Philippines - He’s no Superman.

Manny Pacquiao skipped his workout altogether yesterday because the pound-for-pound champion was “not feeling well.”

His strength and conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, spoke to The STAR by phone last night and gave the reason why Pacquiao did not report to the gym.

“He was not feeling well. He’s a little bit under the weather,” said Ariza.

It should be the first time since Ariza took over Pacquiao’s conditioning that he saw the 31-year-old Filipino out of the gym the whole day while preparing for a fight.

“It happens. But that’s just it. He was not feeling well,” said the native of Colombia who came into the picture for the David Diaz fight in 2008.

Before he moved to Baguio, Pacquiao was taken to the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan due to a sharp pain in the insole of his left foot.

Doctors said it was nothing serious and was just a case of some pull during workout. It was reported that it was due to the leather shoes he’d been wearing everyday since he was elected to Congress.

“He’s not used to that kind of footwear so his heels somewhat swelled,” Roach told a veteran scribe the other day.

Pacquiao sparred five rounds against Glen Tapia the other day, and must have pushed himself too hard, if there’s such a thing with the Filipino energizer.

Yesterday was supposed to be a non-sparring day but even those who’ve been following Pacquiao’s moves in Baguio said he did not go out for his morning run.

Ariza said it remains uncertain if Pacquiao would be back in training today. He spars on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

“It depends on how he’ll be feeling tomorrow,” said Ariza.

Pacquiao entered his second week of training in Baguio City last Monday with 14 rounds of mitts with his chief trainer Freddie Roach and the heavy sparring with Tapia.

Last week, he did eight rounds of sparring, including four with Michael Medina last Saturday. Shortly after his workout on that day, he drove to Manila for an overnight stay. He was back in Baguio Sunday evening.

Pacquiao, an insider said, also has plans of being in Manila this coming Saturday to be with his family.

Abac Cordero, Philippine Star[