Manny Pacquiao fights back at Mayweather’s “reckless” jabs

Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, raises his arms after his workout in front of reporters and photographers Wednesday, April 15, 2015, in Los Angeles. Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas on May 2. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Manny Pacquiao, of the Philippines, raises his arms after his workout in front of reporters and photographers Wednesday, April 15, 2015, in Los Angeles. Pacquiao is scheduled to fight Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas on May 2. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

By Associated Press April 16, 2015 4 min read

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Manny Pacquiao intends to put on a show when he faces Floyd Mayweather Jr. in 2 1/2 weeks.

He really hopes Mayweather is also coming to fight, for the fans’ sake – and maybe for his own strategic purposes as well.

Pacquiao radiated confidence and excitement Wednesday at the Wild Card gym in Hollywood before his latest workout in preparation for their bout May 2 in Las Vegas.

With the most anticipated fight in recent years looming ever closer, both boxers kept their public comments civil and mostly respectful this week. But Pacquiao laughed when told that the defense-minded Mayweather had called him “a very reckless fighter” on Tuesday.

“Reckless fighter? That’s how people like me and love me, because they like an exciting fight,” Pacquiao said. “We call this boxing, (and) boxing is more punching. We talk about punching.”