American trainer Freddie Roach plans to arrive in Manila in the last week of November to supervise the final phase of Ring Magazine featherweight champion Manny Pacquiao?s training for his Dec. 11 tune-up fight against International Boxing Federation no. 4 super bantamweight Fahsang 3K Battery of Thailand.
This means that both Roach and Pacquiao are not taking the Thai fighter for granted.
Pacquiao?s Filipino trainer Buboy Fernandez, who arrived from Los Angeles with Pacquiao?s younger brother, Philippine super featherweight champion Bobby Pacquiao yesterday morning, said Roach would undertake a regular medical examination after which he would call to confirm his arrival date.
Fernandez said lawyer Michael Koncz, a close friend of Roach, arrived with them and immediately flew to General Santos City with Pacquiao, who scored an impressive eighth-round victory over Mexican Oscar Villa last Saturday in Montecello,California.
The People?s Champion, meantime, buckled down to serious training at the Almendras Gym in Davao City, where he began sparring with Philippine lightweight champion Fernando Montilla.
Pacquiao motored to Davao City on Sunday after a light workout in his hometown of General Santos City. He told Viva Sports/Manila Standard that his other sparring partners are Arnel Porras and Chris Saluday.
Lito Mondejar of Team Pacquiao left for Davao on Friday carrying with him a new canvas for the training ring in Davao. Mondejar was scheduled to visit Cagayan de Oro City before going to Davao in time for Pacquiao?s training session yesterday.
Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario said he would get Pacquiao to return to Manila once Roach arrives so he could train at the Wild Card Gym in BF Homes, Para?aque.
Pacquiao?s decision to move into serious training and Roach?s decision to fly to Manila indicated that they are not underestimating Fahsang while also looking ahead to the much-awaited Feb. 26 rematch with World Boxing Association/IBF featherweight champion Juan Manuel Marquez.
