Manny Pacquiao Trainer Has Throat Cancer; Training Affected?

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Manny Pacquiao's gym trainer Justin Fortune, an ex-heavy weight boxer, is reportedly fighting throat and neck cancer. Fortune, 49, who moved to Los Angeles in 2002, spent almost a decade working alongside trainer Freddie Roach.

The ex-boxer spoke optimistically about his cancer bout, saying "It's all about your mindset. If you want to roll over and die, you will. But if you want to fight it, then fight. I've stood toe-to-toe my whole life, so that's what I'm still doing," reported The Courier Mail.

Fortune, who is working with Pacquaio at Roach's famous Wild Card gym, said that he didn't believe it at first when he was told that treatment for throat cancer is the worst of all other cancers, but he now understood the fact. He also added that the only way to treat throat cancer is to cut, burn, and poison it and it's horrible to lose the taste buds and salivary glands, according to The Courier Mail.

Fortune also noted, "I totally understand people switching off; it devastates you in mind and body. But it is what it is. I've been through the worst part of the fight and now it's a healing process."

Fortune, who lost 35 kg of weight since his cancer diagnosis, has recently had a graft transplanted from his forearm to replace the nodules that has been removed from his throat as a part of chemotherapy and radiation.

Although battling the disease, Pacquiao's trainer is still focused on training the fighter. He said that they don't want anything happening inside the gym to be appearing anywhere. Fortune also noted that preparations would be more than perfect, even including LA training camp policies restricting the use of mobile phones and cameras inside the gym.

Meanwhile, the World middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin has reportedly paid Pacquiao a friendly visit at his training camp, while he trains for a bout against Floyd Mayweather. Pacquiao told ESPN that "My sparring partners gave me good work today. They were perfect for testing the strategy Freddie and I have developed to beat Floyd Mayweather. I was very happy with my stamina and speed today", reported the Daily Mail.

Fortune said that Floyd and Manny has their own style of fighting and noted that "Floyd's a great fighter but he's got holes in his defence and holes in his offence. Manny has also got a power advantage. We'll be ready to go come May 2," notes The Courier Mail.