PACQUIAO WILL TRAIN IN CHICAGO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 20 May 2008
Showing just how seriously he is taking his showdown with WBC lightweight champion David Diaz on June 28 at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel & Casino, Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao plans to continue training in Chicago when he flies to the ?Windy City? for a press conference and a Pep Rally to promote the fight on May 21.
Pacquiao?s close friend and confidant Rex ?Wakee? Salud disclosed that Pacquiao would fly to Chicago on Tuesday and work out at a gym in Chicago before taking the flight back to Los Angeles aboard a private jet hired by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum.
? Following two weeks of getting into shape in General Santos City, Pacquiao is slowly picking up tempo under the watchful eye of celebrated trainer Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
Diaz, in his regular column in the Chicago Sun Times said Top Rank and HBO ?have set up a pretty special event for Manny Pacquiao and I to promote the fight? in Diaz?s hometown of Chicago.
The Pep Rally will be held at Federal Plaza at noon with temperatures likely tp be around 70 degrees with mostly sunny skies.
Diaz said the idea of a Pep Rally was ?pretty cool? because normally the two fighters just meet with the media but that in Chicago they ?wanted to do something different for the fans.?
The 135 pound champion said Pacquiao had asked him about the Pep Rally when they met at last week?s press conference in Los Angeles. Diaz said Pacquiao ?seemed very excited to come to Chicago. I?m sure he?ll have lots of fans there to see him but I bet my fans will be louder.?
Diaz said he was glad to be back in Chicago for a while since ?its important to be back on schedule for my training.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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