|
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Pacman, Chololo all set for big fight
Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao finished his last workout yesterday oozing with confidence in his fight against Mexican Oscar Larios on Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.
Even with a strict diet, the 27-year-old Pacquiao went through two hours of light workout that included two rounds of speed ball, two rounds of shadow boxing and two rounds skipping rope at the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines gym in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.
Trainer Freddie Roach said the Gen. Santos City-born southpaw is within the 128 to 129-lbs. range, which is just enough for today’s scheduled 8 a.m. weigh-in at the Discovery Suites in Ortigas, Pasig City.
“Right now he is already underweight and he will have no problem making the weight limit tomorrow,” said Roach.
Roach said that after the official weigh-in today, Pacquiao will enter the ring tomorrow at 141 to 142-lbs. when he fights the 29-year-old Larios, dubbed “Chololo” by his father Teodoro, who arrived here early this week.
Raring to go
“Manny is just very relaxed and we could tell now a very good fight tomorrow. He is raring to go,” added Roach.
But Larios is already talking of a bigger paycheck, while assuring Pacquiao of a rematch.
Pacquiao’s camp predicted Larios would not last beyond six rounds—or the “final bell,” as what Shelly Finkel refers to as his boy’s impending knockout victory.
"Manny is going to treat him so well by ending the fight early," said Finkel.
But Larios stressed he did not travel more than 10,000 miles from Guadalajara, Mexico to be beaten.
"Beating Pacquiao is not impossible," said Larios during the press conference. "I am not even nervous and it doesn’t matter if this fight takes place in Las Vegas, Mexico or here in the Philippines."
Pacquiao had trained for six weeks at the Wild Card gym in LA where he reportedly beat up all his sparring partners before heading home last week.
Ambition
Larios, for his part, is winding-up his almost two-month training at the Red Corner gym in Pasig City, said his manager, Rafael Mendoza.
He trained three times a day in Mexico before his final training in Japan, where he reportedly broke the ribs of sparring partner Hozumi Hasegawa, the WBC Bantamweight champion.
Philippine resident Bruce McTavish of New Zealand is the third man in the ring.
Larios has no greater ambition but to win against Manny Pacquiao, and force a rematch that may give him a much higher paycheck.
Larios will receive $450,000, while Pacquiao is reported to receive $1 million in the fight at the Big Dome, also the site of the 1975 “Thrilla in Manila.”
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (July 1, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor.Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board.Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
WEEKEND
|
