Manny Pacquiao appears to be sounding a bit cocky. Yesterday, the Filipino boxing idol sent a message to Oscar De La Hoya.
“Mag-ensayo siya ng mabuti (He should train hard),” Pacquiao said in a phone interview Wednesday night (yesterday morning Manila time) from San Diego, California where he continued his workout shortly after arriving from Manila.
For his part, Pacquiao is doing what he has advised De La Hoya to do.
“Manny?s not skipping training,” said Top Rank chief Bob Arum, who will join Pacquiao in a six-city press tour that will kick off in New York on Wednesday.
“I ran this morning and I am not taking this fight lightly,” said Pacquiao, who currently weighs 153 lbs.
Pacquiao revealed that he is being advised not to shed off weight drastically “because my body fat is being measured.”
The fight with the 35-year-old De La Hoya, the undisputed box-office king, will be fought at welterweight (147 lbs) using eight ounce gloves and Pacquiao, who is jumping up in weight from lightweight (135 lbs), is upbeat that he can carry his power and speed there.
“I feel good at this weight and I think my quickness and power would still be there at welterweight,” said Pacquiao.
Pacquiao is in Southern California as he presides over a promotion that will feature rising super-bantamweight (122 lbs) star Bernabe Concepcion in the main event of a card that will feature two other Filipino punchers today at the Sycuan Resort and Casino.
The Sycuan show is the first solo foray by MP Promotions on US soil and the 29-year-old Pacquiao, the only Asian to win four titles in four weight divisions, is looking forward to more shows in the future starring Filipino talents.
From San Diego, Pacquiao will head back to Los Angeles and resume his training under Freddie Roach at the Wild Card Boxing Club.
Despite his heavy schedule, Pacquiao vowed to continue working out.
Meanwhile, Arum is excited over the turnout of the media during the kickoff leg of the promotional tour.
“It?s going to be sensational and all the press is going to be there,” said Arum, whose outfit is co-staging the Pacquiao-De La Hoya headliner in partnership with Golden Boy Promotions and MGM Mirage.
From the Big Apple, the tour will proceed to Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, San Francisco and finally, to Los Angeles.
Select members of Team Pacquiao are leaving for New York on Tuesday night and a private plane will bring them over to the remaining five cities, according to Arum.
