‘Perfect’ Pacquiao ready for Cotto, says trainer
Boxing hero Manny Pacquiao has overcome disruptions from typhoons and
landslides while training in the Philippines to be in ideal shape ahead
of his big bout with Miguel Cotto, his trainer said.
“He is right where I want him to be, perfect,” Freddie Roach told AFP
on Thursday evening after the six-time world-champion completed a heavy
workout that included 10 rounds of sparring in a Manila gym.
Pacquiao will head to the United States on the weekend after an
intense five weeks of training in his home country, during which more
than 1,000 people died in natural disasters.
Pacquiao was even forced to move camps from the cool mountain resort
of Baguio to the sweaty capital of Manila after storms claimed hundreds
of lives in and around the hill station, then a typhoon threatened more
damage there.
But Roach insisted the disasters had not impacted his 30-year-old
protege, who stunned the world with victories over American great Oscar
de la Hoya last year and Britain’s Ricky Hatton in May.
“We didn’t let it affect our training. We worked right through it and
never missed a day,” Roach said of the storms.
“So it was a great training camp in Baguio.”
Pacquiao is a deeply religious man and a hero to virtually everyone
in the Southeast Asian nation. But Roach said Pacquiao had remained
completely committed to his training despite the disasters going on
around him.
“One hundred percent. No problem at all. It’s been a really good
training camp. He’s been focused from day one, throughout,” he said.
Pacquiao will travel to Los Angeles for two weeks of training ahead
of his November 14 fight against Cotto, the 27-year-old Puerto Rican who
is looking to snatch the Filipino’s status as best pound-for-pound
fighter in the world.
Cotto, the WBO welterweight champion, is a huge underdog for the
145-pound bout at the MGM Grand hotel and casino in Las Vegas. |