Arum: Pacquiao will have his usual 8-wk training for Cotto

Manny Pacquiao’s trainer, Bob Arum, is not pressing the panic button despite the fact that the “Pacman" continues with his non-boxing activities while his opponent Miguel Cotto has already commenced training. In an interview with Examiner.com , the celebrated promoter expressed confidence the 30-year-old Pacquiao will buckle down to serious work at the gym once he wraps up his other commitments, including publicity tour for the Nov. 14 “Firepower" card in Las Vegas. “No reason to panic, absolutely not," he told Examiner.com’s Michael Marley. “When we’re done with the press/publicity tour in New York, Puerto Rico, San Francisco and LA and then finish in San Diego Sept. 15, Manny is going to camp." Pacquiao himself had said there’s still plenty of time to get himself into tip-top shape against Cotto, who is set to defend his WBO welterweight title in their highly-anticipated showdown. The fight will also be for the WBC Diamond Belt," a newly-crafted special title for “elite fights."

In an earlier TV interview with GMA News, Pacquiao said he presently weighs 151 lbs and exercises on his own while shooting a movie and TV sitcom. Arum is aware of the pound-for-pound king’s pre-training conditions and training style. “Unlike most of these guys, Manny never balloons up in weight. He will have his usual, solid eight weeks," Arum said. Unlike before when he spends the entirety of his training at the Wild Card gym of trainer Freddie Roach in LA, Pacquiao would have to do his workout outside the US for the first five weeks. This is due to US immigration laws which say he can only spend 183 days in America. Baguio City, Mexico and Bahamas are reportedly among those considered for the initial stages of his training but the Pacquiao camp has yet to decide on the site. - GMANews.TV