Mind Games Include Pacquiao’s Training
By Merpu Roa on March 26 2015 2:21 pm
McALLEN, Texas (MindaNews / 26 March) – Eight Division World Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao does a strenuous physical activity for eight hours everyday, yet interestingly he also engages in a three to four hours of mental exercises as he prepares for the biggest fight of his boxing career against Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2 at the MGM Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
He plays chess and dart.
Playing chess allows the Filipino boxing icon to strategize his defense and offense as the game progresses, very similar to the game plan he is going through together with Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach and his assistants.
It’s a game plan that seeks to exploit Mayweather’s weak areas as well as effectively respond to the American boxer’s strengths.
Boxing, along with other sports, places high prominence on the individual athlete’s decision-making ability on how best to do defense and offense, depending on what is at hand at the very moment. Inputs from the trainers are usually conveyed mostly in in-between rounds during short breaks.
Obviously, Pacquiao wants to sharpen his capacity to make the appropriate and quick decisions in the light of what has happened with his fight with boxer Juan Manuel Marquez where he thought he could finish off the Mexican, only to be knocked out by a perfect counter punch.
Like chess, the end game in boxing needs to lead to victory instead of defeat.
Full article here: http://www.mindanews.com