Arum arrives Monday to check on Pacquiao’s high-altitude training

Top Rank Promoter Bob Arum has been hearing nothing but good news coming from Manny Pacquiao’s training camp in Baguio City. Now, he will have an up-close and personal view to verify if everything he's heard is true. Arum arrives in the country Monday to be with Pacquiao in his high-altitude training camp — this at a time when trainer Freddie Roach himself appears convinced that the Filipino boxing superstar is off to a fine start as far as his preparation for his May 7 title fight with Sugar Shane Mosley is concerned. “It’s the best first week we’ve ever had," declared Roach of Pacquiao's first week of training at the Shape Up gym inside the Cooyesan Hotel in Baguio City. The Top Rank chairman himself said he, too, is thrilled to see the world’s top pound-for-pound boxer in the flesh, especially in light of reports that Pacquiao is already showing signs of his old form despite being just a week into training. “I’m certainly upbeat. I’m also getting glowing reports on Manny, just splendid, but I'd like to go see for myself. But his camp has been everything we could hope for, and my reports are usually reliable on that," added Arum, who had been in boxing promotion for more than five decades now. Coming from Las Vegas where he is currently based, the 79-year-old promoter will proceed immediately to the highland city of Baguio to hook up with Pacquiao, and later in the afternoon, watch the eight-time world champion do his thing in the gym in an open-for-media workout. “I’m a double digit guy by now in terms of flights to the Philippines to check up on Manny Pacquiao," said Arum prior to his departure from Las Vegas. “Last year, I went over there four times, two for his training camps, for his Congressional election, and then in December for Manny’s birthday. This is my first trip for this year, but there will be more," he added. Arum is expected to be besieged by a lot of questions as well on the decision of reigning bantamweight champion Nonito Donaire Jr. to transfer from Top Rank to its rival Golden Boy. But at the moment, Arum would rather not dwell on the negatives — not now when he has been hearing a lot positives on Pacquiao’s training camp. - KY, RCJ, GMA News