FILIPINO boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao reiterates he is not looking past Oscar de la Hoya and that all his energy is focused toward his upcoming 12-round Dream Match that is less than two weeks away.
This was Pacquiao?s reaction to the challenge posed by British superstar Ricky Hatton.
?Baka sabihin ng tao masyado na akong nag-aambisyon kung sasabihin ko na gusto ko din siya kalabanin,? said Pacquiao. ?Focus lang ako sa laban ko ngayon. Saka ko na lang iisipin ?yung ibang mga laban.?
Pacquiao said he watched the fight of Hatton, who won via an 11th-round technical knockout over Italian-American Paulie Malignaggi Sunday morning (Manila time) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
?Napanuod ko ?yung laban. Walang round na nakuha si Malignaggi. Magaling pa din si Hatton and malakas. Pero dun sa challenge n?ya, hintayin na lang muna natin ?yung laban ko kay de la Hoya,? said Pacquiao.
Immediately after finalizing the deal that will pit him against de la Hoya, a few more marquee fighters were named as possible opponents of Pacquiao?and the list includes Hatton.
Pacquiao?s outspoken trainer Freddie Roach even named the now-retired Floyd Mayweather Jr. as a possible future foe.
In the same interview by the BusinessMirror, Pacquiao revealed he is undergoing one of his best training ever and that he now feels great.
Although he will be moving up in weight and will do away with the usual practice of prizefighters limiting food intake to meet a specific weight limit, Pacquiao believes it is not something that will eventually be the newest trend in boxing.
?Depende na din sa boxer. Mayroon kasi ang gusto magbawas ng todo sa timbang para makalaban sa mas mababang dibisyon kasi ang pakiramdam nila mas malakas sila sa mga makakalaban sa lower weight divisions,? said Pacquiao.
Pacquiao, the reigning 135-lb kingpin, will be moving up to the welterweight class, which is 12 lb heavier than his current kingdom.
Last week reports came out that Pacquiao had to give up his plyometrics training after the Filipino boxing sensation reportedly could not cope up with the method.
Pacquiao, however, refuted the report by saying they had programmed his training for one month and that they have already completed the regimen.
?Maganda naman naging resulta pero talagang one month lang ang ginawa namin sa plyometrics at nakumpleto naman namin,? added Pacquiao.
Plyometrics is a type of exercise training designed to produce fast, powerful movements and improve the functions of the nervous system, generally for the purpose of improving performance in a specific sport.
De la Hoya and Pacquiao meet atop the ring on December 6 also at the MGM Grand Garden.
Pacquiao on ?Readers Digest?
THE cover of this month?s Reader?s Digest magazine features Manny Pacquiao. The compelling photo was shot by Tim Tadder, a leading sports photographer from the US who also does Nike ads.
?When Tadder sent us back this photo of Manny, I knew we had to make this a special cover for the Philippines,? said Jim Plouffe, editor in chief of English magazine for Reader?s Digest in Asia. ?With his fight coming up on December 6 and his outright love of his homeland, I thought it was a fitting tribute to this warrior.?
Plouffe, who stepped into the ring last year in a charity match, said that anyone seeing this cover photo will not only see what Oscar de la Hoya must face but also the determination Pacquiao brings to everything he tackles.
The national hero sat down face to face with Plouffe, who traveled to the Philippines for the no-holds-barred interview.
?Manny?s story is an inspiring one to share with our readers,? said Plouffe. ?We always strive to bring celebrities back down to earth in our stories. That was easy with Manny. He worked hard to get out of poverty, rose to become one of the most successful boxers in the world and he brings hope to his people.
But most of all, it is his dream to serve his country and make a difference that really gives us the story behind the glory.?
