THE moment he was tapped by Oscar De La Hoya to train the Golden Boy against Manny Pacquiao, Ignacio Beristain was quick to boast he already has a game plan to defeat the Filipino boxing sensation.
Handling a lot bigger and much taller fighter this time in De La Hoya, Beristain can easily diagram a battle plan against Pacquiao, the heavy underdog in his 147-pound showdown with the Mexican warrior on December 6 (December 7 in Manila) in Las Vegas.
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“Oscar De La Hoya is one of the premier fighters of this era, and I am excited working with him in this very important fight,” Beristain said.
“I already have a plan in mind for beating Pacquiao, and I know Oscar will do whatever it takes to carry that plan through on fight night,” added Beristain, the trainer of the crafty Juan Manuel Marquez whom Pacquiao defeated in two close contests.
Pacquiao decked Marquez four times in their two fights, the last of his victory came when the Filipino boxer took the Mexican’s World Boxing Council (WBC) super featherweight crown back in March.
Up to this time, the veteran Beristain refused to accept defeat against Pacquiao, insisting that Marquez won in both occasions.
With De La Hoya, Beristain clearly has the edge over Freddie Roach this time. Roach is the famed American trainer of Pacquiao.
De La Hoya went in search of a new trainer three weeks ago af
