MANNY Pacquiao will return to the “Summer Capital” for his much awaited bout against Mexican Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 in Arlignton, Texas for the vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) light-middleweight crown.
Baguio boxing promoter Raffy Panagan in an interview said the pound-for-pound king is expected to arrive in this mountain resort on Sept. 20 together with his prized American trainer Freddie Roach.
“We have received call from Pacquiao’s business manager Wakee Salud and the word is that they have agreed to set-up their camp here in Baguio City for a month before heading to Los Angeles and train there for three weeks,” said Panagan.
Panagan added the seven time world champion and conditioning coach Alex Ariza has started light training before Roach arrives on the 19th and will immediately work-out on the 20th when they arrive to Coyeesan’s Shape-Up boxing gym.
Baguio City remained the priority of the pound-for-pound-king-turned-congressman after his successful preparation for his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight fight against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto.
But employees from the Coyeesan Plaza Hotel where Pacquiao stayed during his training last year and at the same time where Shape-Up Boxing gym is located neither confirmed nor denied that Pacquiao will train in their gym.
Pacquiao arrived to the country last week and declared he’ll buckle down to work in two weeks’ time after a whirlwind press tour in the US to promote the fight with the 5-foot-11 Margarito.
Panagan, on the other hand, said Pacquiao’s stay in the city may augur well as it will give the boxer more focus on his training which Roach also prefers.
Even Amateur Boxing of the Philippines Northern Luzon executive director Reinaldo Baustista Jr. said the training will help him improve his stamina. “I think it’s really proven that athletes with high altitude training really excel more and do better than others,” said Bautista. (Roderick Osis)
