MANILA, Philippines–Manny Pacquiao had to see promoter Bob Arum first before heading to Freddie Roach?s gym two days after arriving in Los Angeles to begin training for his Dec. 6 megafight against American ring superstar Oscar De La Hoya.
Pacquiao?s close confidant Rex ?Wakee? Salud said Wednesday that the World Boxing Council lightweight titlist and current world pound-for-pound champ met with Arum to iron out all the details of the eagerly awaited encounter at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Salud didn?t divulge what was taken up during the meeting, but said Pacquiao later proceeded to the Wild Card gym of Roach to start his planned 12-week training camp.
After bloating to 154 pounds, Pacquiao needs to trim down to the agreed 147 weight limit even as De La Hoya has reportedly boasted to have trimmed down to 149 without an official trainer yet.
Pacquiao claimed that he will have the edge when it comes to the use of the eight-ounce gloves in the fight.
?Huwag siyang pakasisiguro sa akin, kasi pag tinamaan ko siya, iindahin din niya (He better not get overconfident, because when I hit him, he will get hurt),? said Pacquiao in his last interview before flying to the US last Sunday.
Meanwhile, Boxingconfidential.com executive editor Ricardo Lois declared Wednesday that De La Hoya will demolish Pacquiao in three rounds.
?This will make up for what we?ve had to put up with Pacmaniacs over the years,? Lois was quoted as saying. ?It will be great seeing Oscar De La Hoya knock Manny out in three rounds.
?After Oscar hurts Manny with a left hook to the brain, you will see Pacquiao doing the crackhead dance. He might do the Zab Judah crackhead dance mixed with some Thomas Hearns wobbly, wobbly. It will be great to see that.?
He was referring to Judah?s sensational knockout loss to Kostya Tszyu in 2001, and Hearns? similarly devastating defeat at the hands of Marvelous Marvin Hagler in 1985.
