Everything is all set for Oscar De La Hoya?s training, which kicked off Friday in the mountains of Big Bear, California, the Mexican media has reported.
De La Hoya, who battles Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, started his day by doing roadwork just outside his cabin with newly-acquired trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain supervising the Golden Boy?s every move.
Joining Beristain in Big Bear, which has an elevation of 8,000 feet, are Oscar?s brother and former cornerman Joel, dietitian Roberto Garcia and cutman extraordinaire Joe Chavez, who had served many times as Pacquiao?s cutman as well.
They are also keenly awaiting the arrival there of Daniel Zaragoza, the former world super-bantamweight champion who is one of Mexico?s most beloved champions of all time.
Zaragoza, who was trained by the revered Beristain during his successful career, is expected to join them any time owing to his expertise in the technical aspect of facing an extraordinary fighter like Pacquiao, according to the sports paper ESTO.
After taking lunch, De La Hoya will report for work at a gym at 2 pm daily where he hopes to find a way to neutralize Pacquiao?s blazing speed.
This will be the first time in more than six years that the 35-year-old De La Hoya will use the facilities at Big Bear.
The last time De La Hoya trained there was when he fought and destroyed the rugged Arturo Gatti with relative ease.
While De La Hoya has just set up camp, Pacquiao has been sweating it out since Monday under the watchful eyes of Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
Assisting Roach are fitness coach Alex Ariza and Filipino training assistants Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri, who also dabbles as Pacquiao?s nutritionist.
This will not be the first time that Pacquiao is going up against somebody who underwent high-altitude training since Erik Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez had done the same thing when they prepared for Pacquiao.
Morales trained in the Otomi mountains and Marquez trained in Sierra Nevado, both in Mexico, while Barrera utilized Big Bear when he first fought Pacquiao in Nov. 2003.
