PACQUIAO, ROACH WORK ON FIGHT STRATEGY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 26 Jun 2008
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach and his prized possession, Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao took time out during yesterday?s workout to fine-tune their fight strategy for the ?Lethal Combination? showdown against WBC lightweight champion David Diaz at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sunday, Manila Time.
The fight will be telecast by Solar Sports and GMA 7 as well as a number of pay-per-view platforms over SkyCable, Destiny Cable and Dream TV. Viva Sports will telecast a riveting one-hour pre-fight special over Viva Prime which is also carried by Destiny Cable at 9:00 p.m. Friday with a replay at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Pacquiao worked out at the IBA Gym at around 3:00 p.m. despite the scorching heat of over 100 degrees and by all accounts looked good.
In an overseas telephone conversation ABS-CBN?s Dyan Castillejo who is in Las Vegas told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Pacquiao worked out for some two hours and was in a ?really good mood? and didn?t seem to have any problems over making the weight although he did skip rope in a sauna top after sweating profusely because of the heat.
Pacquiao didn?t look gaunt as he did at the weigh in for his last couple of fights against Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez when he struggled to make the weight . Castillejo quoted Pacquiao as saying he is ?not going to have a hard time making the weight (135 pounds) and feels more relaxed.?
She said Roach didn?t have any apprehensions and appeared confident that Pacquiao would succeed in his quest for a fourth world title to re-write the record books in terms of the success of Filipino and Asian fighters.
Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz said ?everything is fine. Manny is relaxed, he trained today, we had a good press conference and he?s ready. There are no surprises in the works or anything like that.?
Koncz also made it clear they were ?not concerned about his (Pacquiao?s) weight? which was some three pounds over the limit four days ago.
Koncz also revealed ?there have been rumors that President Arroyo will watch the fight? but quickly added ?Manny hasn?t confirmed it. If she does I don?t believe it was set up by Manny. He?s not aware of whether she is coming or not coming although we know the President is in Washington.?
At the same time he said there were a lot of Filipinos which ?is common and not surprising? every time Pacquiao fights. In fact Top Rank promoter Bob Arum quipped that there would be no legislation passed in the Philippines because most of the congressmen were in Las Vegas and they could get a quorum.
Konz, who is also close to Arum said Pacquiao has a self-imposed curfew at 8:00 p.m. and ?the room is cleared out and he is able to spend time with Jinkee (his wife) and relax. Everything is under control.?
Diaz meantime, also went to a local gym to train and said later in his diary in the Chicago Sun Times ?it feels great to get a full workout in. There was no air-conditioning in the gym and it was pretty hot in there (its 105 degrees outside) but it was perfect for what we needed.?
Diaz said he got back to the hotel around 6:00 p.m., ?had dinner and relaxed before going to sleep early.?
Referring to the many stories on the fight where he is a decided underdog, Diaz said he doesn?t get involved in discussions on whether he is being given a fair chance by the media. ?I train hard and expect to be at my best on Saturday night. That?s been my sole focus for the fight. Fans and media will say what they want ? when the bells rings it just Manny and I fighting. And you guys watching.?
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