BARRERA NOT TRAINING LIKE HE USED TO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 21 Sep 2007
WBC president Jose Sulaiman says legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera has ?changed his system of training? in preparation for his rematch with Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao.
In an overseas telephone conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Sulaiman said Barrera is ?still okay? but now trains at home in Guadalajara because he wants ?to stay with his kids and his wife? and is ?not going to the mountains.? However, Guadalajara is at an altitude of 5,200 feet with a mild, springlike climate.
In contrast Pacquiao told us he decided to train in the Philippines because he "likes the heat and it helps him get into top condition especially when he takes the killer uphill run at the Alta Vista subdivision in Cebu.
Sulaiman moderated any concern over Barrera, saying he is ?training very well but not as he used to do in the past.? The Mexican icon has said he is out to avenge his humiliating eleventh round loss to Pacquiao on November 15, 2003.
Barrera also has a local trainer from Guadalajara training him right now because his regular, longtime trainer Rudy Perez cannot be there. However, Sulaiman said the new trainer ?is not bad? but that Barrera?s regular trainer will be in his corner for the rematch at Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino on October 6 in a fight card to be telecast by Solar Sports over GMA 7.
The longtime WBC president claimed it was not true that the fight would not be for Pacquiao?s WBC super featherweight although he said he had learned that Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer was against the fight being sanctioned by the WBC. Earlier reports indicated the promoters didn?t want to pay the sanction fee. However, Sulaiman said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, Pacquiao and Barrera were not against the twelve round bout being for Pacquiao?s international title.
The WBC president said it would be an insult to Pacquiao because he is the champion and wants to continue to retain the title and Barrera wants to fight for the belt.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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