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Pacquiao misses scheduled run, continues to deal with calf cramps

REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

With his mega-fight against Floyd Mayweather just over a month away, the calf injuries that Manny Pacquiao has been dealing with are becoming more of a concern.

Pacquiao missed a scheduled run on Saturday, despite his regular running partners arriving at his home and a crowd of fans waiting a few miles down the road.

Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, sparked the concerns last week when he admitted that Pacquiao has been dealing with cramps in his legs, adding that they were being treated with massage and a special cream that costs $1,800 per bottle.

Pacquiao's conditioning coach, Justin Fortune, was the one who informed the public Pacquiao wouldn't be running. He seemed to suggest there may be some lethargy at play, coming from the fatigue associated with his grueling physical sessions.

"I would like him to get up and move around at least, get out the stiffness from the work we have been doing," Fortune told Martin Rogers of USA Today Sports. "He is not going to run, but we will make up for it with the work we do later.

"I make it hard for him but he needs to suck it up. Fighting Mayweather is not easy, either. There are always consequences."

Running partner Rodel Mayol doesn't believe lethargy played any role in Pacquiao's decision not to run Saturday, saying the fighter has maintained his intensity in previous runs.

"For this fight it is amazing," Mayol said. "I see he doesn't get tired, not like before he fought (Chris) Algieri, (Shane) Mosley, Juan Manuel Marquez – then he took it easy. This time he is very motivated."

With each fighter expected to take in over $100 million from the field and bettors expected to put down millions more, Pacquiao's calves are something the public will take a keen interest in over the upcoming weeks.

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