ARIZA WARNS PACQUIAO, A MARQUEZ FIGHT WON?T BE EASY
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 06 Sep 2012
With Internet reports indicating that Manny Pacquiao will probably face Mexican legend Juan Manuel Marquez for a fourth time at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on December 8, Pacquiao?s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza warns, it won?t be an easy fight.
Pacquiao?s adviser Michael Koncz said he expects a decision on an opponent to be made today (Wednesday in the US) while Top Rank promoter Bob Arum indicated it would probably be made by the end of the week.
Arum indicated there is no hurry because the fight will take place in December and that Pacquiao would be in the US by September 15 to begin the press tour to promote the fight against whoever he chooses as an opponent.
Pacquiao has battled Marquez three times with their first encounter ending in a draw and Pacquiao winning the second by a majority decision and the third by a hugely controversial split decision.
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum laid out three options for Pacquiao but Miguel Cotto who Pacquiao wanted to face in a rematch decided to take on Austin Trout on December 1 leaving Timothy ?Desert Storm? Bradley who grabbed the WBO welterweight title from Pacquiao in a widely condemned split decision and Marquez.
Mexican promoter Fernando Beltran had earlier said that a Marquez fight with Pacquiao was almost 95 percent sure but if the fight pushes through trainer Freddie Roach and Ariza would want Pacquiao to train at the Wild Card Gym and not begin his preparations at his usual training camp in Baguio City because of the many distractions.
Ariza told the Manila Standard that a Marquez fight ?is not going to be easy? but that if Pacquiao returned to his training regimen when he was preparing for fights against Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton and Miguel Cotto, there wouldn?t be a problem.
Ariza said ?he has to go back to the old ways of training, focus more on the other stuff? even as he stressed that Pacquiao has got to train at the Wild Card.
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