American trainer Freddie Roach has advised Manny Pacquiao just to give up his World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight crown since they will be fighting in a heavier division starting next year anyway.
“I told him to just give it up because we are not going back to 135 (lbs) anymore,” Roach told the Bulletin yesterday from his apartment in Los Angeles as he was preparing to get the signal of the Roy Jones-Joe Calzaghe bout in New York.
“After this fight with Oscar, we will be fighting at 140 lbs (super-lightweight/junior-welterweight). We are not returning to 135,” said Roach, who was all smiles once again after presiding over Pacquiao?s eight-round sparring session Saturday (Sunday in Manila) with Marvin Cordova of Texas and Rashad Holloway of North Carolina at the Wild Card Boxing Club.
Roach?s advise came after WBC President Jose Sulaiman threatened Pacquiao to strip his WBC title if he fails to settle his account to the boxing organization.
Sulaiman said Pacquiao is mandated to pay a total of $ 130,000 to the WBC as payment to a previous participation in a title fight as well as his impending megabuck match with Oscar De La Hoya on Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas even if there will be non title at stake.
Even Pacquiao had made it known that making 135 is no longer as easy.
Roach said he and strength coach Alex Ariza are doing everything possible to prevent Pacquiao from getting burned out in training.
“We have four weeks before the fight and we have to take it nice and slow,” said Roach, noting that Pacquiao has been fast and furious in his workouts.
Since Pacquiao kicked off training quite early, having showed up ready for action more than eight weeks before the much-awaited fight of the year, the 48-year-old Roach is making sure Pacquiao doesn?t only accelerate too fast in sparring but maintain his current weight of 150 to 151 lbs.
“Next week, we will add one more round?it?s going to be nine rounds and then we?ll go ten and 12 rounds in the coming weeks,” said Roach.
Since starting sparring in the second week of October, Pacquiao has now logged over sixty rounds of actual sparring, mostly against the 5-10 ? Holloway, said to be a De La Hoya-fight-alike.
