Ariza pleased with Pacquiao’s training outcome

MANILA, Philippines – Manny Pacquiao is done with the usual starving and last minute sweating out. It appears that the Filipino ring icon has finally found the perfect fighting weight at 140 pounds, definitely a not so good sign for his Englishman opponent Ricky Hatton. The power-puncher from General Santos City tipped in at 137 pounds shortly after his final day of workout at the IBA gym Thursday, a condition that suits just fine on the program prepared by strengthening coach Alex Ariza. “Everything is right on track. It’s the way we planned it to be," said Ariza on the eve of the official weigh-in for Pacquiao’s title fight with Hatton on Friday (Saturday, Manila time) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The soft-spoken exercise and nutritional science expert said he expects the Filipino southpaw to come in at exactly 140 pounds during the weigh-in also at the MGM Grand, where Hatton’s avid British fans are expected to come in throngs. With three pounds under the limit, Pacquiao still have the luxury of taking his breakfast and probably, a light snack prior to the 2:00 p.m. event (5:00 a.m. Manila time). “Freddie (Roach) just wants to make sure that Manny eats," said Ariza. “When Manny is eating, he’s in a good mood. He feels strong." That exactly what Pacquiao looked like Thursday, horsing and clowning around at the oven-hot gym while doing shadow boxing (three rounds), punching the mitts with Roach (supposed to be three only, but the Pacman requested for one more), working on the double end, speedball and skipping ropes. As he was punching the mitts, someone from the crowd hollered, “Malapit na." To which Pacquiao replied, “Bakbakan na! Upakan na!", eliciting laughter from his audience. After working out, the Pacman watched Game 6 of the NBA playoffs between the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls. Pacquiao did some road work during the morning, after which, he had breakfast of tuna and tinolang manok. “Sa gabi hanggang bukas puro isda at manok lang para madaling ilabas. Wala munang beef kasi mabigat sa katawan yun," said chief cook Nonoy Neri. The situation is now in stark contrast during the times when he campaigned as a featherweight and super-featherweight when Pacquiao would struggle to make the weight prior to his fights with Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera. “Yeah unlike before the Marquez, the Barrera and even the Diaz fight, Manny didn’t eat all day. That doesn’t put him in the best mood," said Ariza. With no food restrictions the way Pacquiao’s body had been burning calories like “a machine" according to Ariza, his camp’s main concern now is not to lose more than 138 before the weigh in. “That’s really our concern not to go down too far because we still want to make sure that he is 147-148 on the night of the fight," he added. With muscles bulging from his well sculpted body, Ariza belies the Hatton camp’s plan of pounding Pacquiao with continuous body shots the area, they believe, that would be the main drawback for the reigning pound-for-pound king. “You can hit Manny right now with a sledge hammer and he’s not going anywhere in the chin or in the body," said Ariza disclosing that Pacquiao is even much faster and stronger than when he sent Oscar De La Hoya to submission in the eight round of their welterweight duel last year. The way he sees Pacquiao’s condition now, Ariza believes Hatton wouldn’t survive the onslaught of the Filipino boxing star early on. “I won’t be surprised if Manny decides not to box because he’s gonna knock him out in the first or second round because he’ll see how much stronger and big he is," Ariza said. – GMANews.TV