MANNY PACQUIAO might keep “Manila Ice” in cold storage for his fight against Mexican contender Oscar Larios, the boxer’s trainer and friend Buboy Fernandez said Thursday.
Fernandez, who has been with Pacquiao since he was fighting in his early teens, made the disclosure after the boxer’s third workout at the ABAP gym in Malate, Manila, since returning from the United States on Tuesday.
“Masyadong malikot si Larios. Mabilis sumuntok. Hindi siya lumalaban ng sabayan. Hit-and-run kaya baka hindi magamit ang ‘Manila Ice’ [Larios is too frisky. He punches a lot. He doesn’t slug it out. He’s a hit-and-run boxer so ‘Manila Ice’ might not be used],” said Fernandez, referring to Pacquiao’s newly developed lethal right-hand punch.
Although Pacquiao is a natural southpaw, American Freddie Roach taught “PacMan” how to make his right as powerful as his left, which did the most damage against Erik Morales in their return bout on January 21 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
In that match, Pacquiao knocked out Morales in the 11th round—the first time in El Terrible’s storied career that he kissed the canvas—and left the Mexican boxer’s face a bloody mess.
“Napag-aralan na rin namin si Oscar, kaya may bago kaming strategy sa kanya. [We have studied Oscar. We have planned a new strategy against him],” Fernandez said.
He added that Pacquiao fights better against taller rivals, observing that Larios is just the same height as Morales.
“Basta matangkad ang kalaban ni Manny, mas magaling siya. Medyo pa nga nahihirapan kapag halos kasing taas niya. [Manny fights better against taller opponents. He finds it harder boxing with foes of his same height],” Fernandez said.
Although the trainer declined what ploy Pacquiao would use against the former world super bantamweight champion, Roach, in an interview that appeared on a boxing website on Thursday, said the idea was to bring the fight to “Chololo” from the opening bell.
“I’ve been in the opposing corner against Larios many times, and he’s a very busy guy, and we’ve just got to outhustle him and make sure he doesn’t outhustle us,” Roach said.
“We know him very well, and the plan is to jump on him very early like Israel [Vasquez] did in the last fight against Larios. We want to catch him right away, put pressure on him and show him what a true 130-pounder hits like. Manny Pacquiao will show him the power right away,” he added.
To negate the Mexican’s edge in height and reach, Roach said: “We plan to take that away by just getting close to him [Larios]. Manny will get in close.”
Roach said his ward would bore down on Larios “to break the body down and even if he’s in top condition, I don’t see the fight going past six rounds, to be honest with you.”
Pacquiao was set for his final sparring session on Friday at the ABAP gym, although there were talks he might shift to another one in Para?aque owned by sports patron Boy Cantada so he would be less distracted.
Meanwhile, ABS-CBN yesterday announced the giant TV network has not authorized any local cable provider of the “Mano-a-Mano” showdown on July 2.
The giant TV network, which will broadcast the fight around the globe via The Filipino Channel, which reaches North America, Europe, the Middle East, Australia, Guam, Japan and other parts of Asia, is issuing the clarification in light of reports that various satellite feeds will be made available to local business establishments for a fee.
Tickets for the much-awaited 12-round WBC International super featherweight bout can be bought at Ticketnet, the computerized ticketing network.
Tickets are priced at P30,000 (patron), P20,000 (lower box), P7,500 upper box (A), and P2,500 (upper box B).
Ticketnet outlets will extend their work hours to accommodate buyers at SM Malls in Cubao, Marilao, Quiapo, Batangas, Makati, Valenzuela, Harrison, Molino, North EDSA, Sucat, Santa Mesa, Santa Rosa, Ortigas, Clark, Las Pi?as, Mall of Asia, Bacoor, Fairview, Manila, Pampanga, San Lazaro, Podium, Dasmari?as, Cebu, Bicutan, Lucena and Baguio.
The 80-round card starts at 8 a.m. with the Pacquiao vs. Larios title showdown blasting off at 10:45 a.m.
Referee for the fight is Bruce McTavish of New Zealand, while the judges are Belgium’s Daniele van der Wiele, Humbert Forgoni of France, and Thailand’s Noparat Sricharoen.
