Roach to take over Pacquiao’s training camp

Chief trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Alex Ariza will arrive in the country Tuesday to whip up Manny Pacquiao into shape for his coming title bout with Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico. The American duo will plane in at 6 a.m. from Los Angeles, California via Philippine Airlines. Upon arrival, Roach and Ariza will be quickly brought to Baguio City to join Pacquiao in the training camp. They are expected to take charge of the Filipino boxing sensation’s afternoon workout at the Cooyesan Hotel along Naguilan Road.

Pacquiao already began training for the Nov. 14 bout Monday, starting off with a road work around Burnham Park accompanied by assistant cornerman Buboy Fernandez, before sweating it out in the afternoon at a well-equipped gym inside the hotel, which will serve as the Pacman’s base for the next four weeks. By mid-October, Team Pacquiao proceeds to the Wild Card gym in Los Angeles for the final phase of his preparation against the 28-year-old Cotto, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion. A case of overstaying and a threat of paying excess taxes in the U.S forced Pacquiao to set up his initial training camp here. Under U.S tax law, an alien like the boxing star is only allowed to stay in the U.S. for 180 days for three years. Roach initially had been opposed to training the world’s pound-for-pound king in his hometown, stressing too many distractions will hamper his concentration the way it did during past training camps he had in General Santos City and Cebu. But Pacquiao eventually persuaded the three-time Hall of Famer to come over, stressing that everything will be fine once he enters training camp. “Kapag ako kasi nag-train, iba kaysa sa other boxers. Gusto ko pinarurusahan ko yung katawan ko," he said. “At tsaka tamang-tama sa training camp itong Baguio," added Pacquiao, stressing that the City of Pines sits at 1,500 meters above sea level. Security will also be tightened once Roach and Co. arrive, as deputy national security adviser Chavit Singson, a close friend of Pacquiao, promised to provide security details around the camp. Sparring partners Shawn Porter and long-time sparmate Urbano Antillon are expected to arrive in the country within the week. - GMANews.TV