Though his next opponent remains a mystery up to this time, Manny Pacquiao wants to begin training at the Wild Card Boxing Club in the middle of September.
“Manny has already set a date for his departure and that would be on or before Sept. 12,” said Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal yesterday from General Santos City.
Whether it will be Mexico?s Humberto Soto (slated early in November) or Oscar De La Hoya on Dec. 6, Pacquiao is already eager to hook up with Freddie Roach in Los Angeles.
The promotional outfits of Pacquiao and De La Hoya are still trying to work out a deal and the Golden Boy himself had instructed his right-hand man, GBP Chief Executive Officer Richard Schaefer, to iron out everything.
They hope to close out the deal by the end of the week.
Gacal said that if the dream fight between Pacquiao and De La Hoya doesn?t materialize, they will likely go for Soto.
“The Soto fight will be in place (in the event the De La Hoya fight doesn?t happen),” said Gacal.
Pacquiao, 29, had told a group of Filipino scribes some weeks ago that if it?s De La Hoya, he will need at least 10 weks or more to whip himself up into shape since he will be jumping up in weight class.
The September departure seems to be calculated because even if Pacquiao faces Soto next, he will still have eight weeks to get ready.
Pacquiao has so far fought twice this year ? edging the skillful and brave Juan Manuel Marquez last March by 12-round split decision and mauling the gutsy but grossly overmatched David Diaz inside eight rounds last June ?and is keen on closing out the year with another sensational showing.
Pacquiao remains tops on De La Hoya?s short list of candidates for his swan song on Dec. 6 even though the Filipino had rejected a 70-30 proposal almost two weeks ago.
