MANNY PACQUIAO has gained weight ever since hammering Mexican Erik Morales three months ago in Las Vegas. But there’s nothing to worry, he assures.
Gracing the gala dinner hosted by the Games and Amusements Board at the Hyatt Hotel and Casino recently, Pacquiao confided that he is 13 pounds overweight.
“I weigh 142 or 143 lbs right now,” said Pacquiao his face made even puffier by the brush-up hairstyle that he sported during the event.
Pacquiao fights in the 130 pound superfeatherweight division.
Dressed in a long-sleeved chocolate brown shirt and slacks, Pacquiao came in with a few friends. After after receiving the night’s top award – he left the next day for his hometown in General Santos City.
Pacquiao, who was hospitalized last month for what his handlers said was due to stress, is expected to return in Manila on Wednesday or Thursday in time for a major press conference on Friday morning at the ABS-CBN building in Quezon City.
Oscar Larios, the Mexican who Pacquiao will engage in a slugfest on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum, is due in Manila on Thursday morning. Larios will only be here for three days and is returning to Guadalajara on Saturday or Sunday to start training.
Pacquiao is also bound for overseas as Freddie Roach expects him to be at the doorsteps of the Wild Card on May 8. Roach plans to train the lethal-punching Filipino lefty for four weeks before they camp out at the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines headquarters in Baguio City in June.
While Pacquiao has said earlier that he plans to spend the whole month of May in Hollywood, there’s a possibility that he will just opt to stay in the country and be with long-time trainer and Roach disciple Buboy Fernandez.
A source in the boxing industry said Pacquiao is contemplating on just calling off the US trip and work out in the City of Pines where he will wait for the arrival of Roach in the first week of June.
Meanwhile, Roach told the boxing website fightfan.com that he expects Larios to alter his style against Pacquiao.
“No, I don’t think to come to us to be honest with you,” said the bespectacled Roach, when asked about the gameplan of Larios.
“I think he’ll try and box like he tried to do in his last fight against Vazquez. He may try and come to us early, but he’s show a tendency to move a little bit. So I don’t expect him to come to us because Manny is the bigger puncher. I think he’ll try to change his strategy and throw us off a little bit, but we’ll be ready for whatever he brings.”
