Sparmate says Pacquiao getting better each day

Take it from someone who, only a few days ago, felt the power of Manny Pacquiao. “Definitely, he’s the best in the world today," said Shawn Porter, the main sparmarte of the boxing champion in his Baguio training camp. Then without batting an eyelash, he dropped the bomb on what he thinks would be the outcome of Pacquiao’s Nov. 14 title fight with Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“He’s gonna shock the world again," he said of Pacquiao, who previously stunned the boxing community with remarkable victories over the likes of Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Lehlo Ledwaba and the legendary Oscar De La Hoya. Unbeaten in 10 fights (with eight KOs), Porter had been dominant in his first five rounds of sparring with Pacquiao until Saturday when the Filipino ring icon, slowly getting back into fight shape, finally got the better end of his solid exchanges with the former U.S. Olympic team alternate in three punishing rounds. The spirited effort certainly satisfied American trainer Freddie Roach, who rated Pacquiao’s present condition to be within the 40 percent range. But he expects the 30-year-old Filipino superstar to get much, much better as the fight approaches, Porter readily agreed. “He’s boxing better each passing day," said Porter, 21. “Is he (Pacquiao) strong? Yeah, definitely." Barring any last minute hitch, former World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion Jose Luis Castillo is set to join Porter and Urbano Antillon as Pacquiao sparmates in his training camp at the Shape-Up gym inside the Cooyesan Hotel in Baguio City. Castillo (60-9-1, with 52 KOs) fought memorable wars with the likes of the late Diego Corrales, Joel Casamayor, Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Pacquiao is already priming himself up for the coming tough three weeks of training at the famed mountain hideaway, arriving in Baguio City near midnight of Sunday after spending the rest of the day in Manila distributing relief goods to victims of tropical storm “Ondoy." He was back at the gym Monday, spending 15 draining rounds of sparring at the mitts with Roach and at least half an hour of isometrics with conditioning coach Alex Ariza. Sparring resumes Tuesday with Pacquiao expected to go six rounds. - GMANews.TV