Former Mexican world champ Oscar “Chololo” Larios has raised his workouts up a notch in his quest to upset Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao on July 2 at Araneta Coliseum, a boxing website reported Thursday.
Larios (56-4-1, 36 KOs) began his training at the Teiken Gym in Tokyo where he sparred with Japanese southpaws whose style resemble those of Pacquiao’s, trainer Edison Reynoso said.
Larios fought Toshiaki Nishioka, a former four-time World Boxing Council bantamweight title challenger and currently ranked No. 3 by the World Boxing Association and No. 4 by WBC in the super bantamweight division.
Larios, 29, also traded punches with reigning WBC bantamweight champion Hozumi Hasegawa (20-2, 7 KOs).
Hasegawa is also training for his title defense against another Mexican, Genaro “Poblanito” Garcia (35-4, 20 KOs) on July 15 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.
Larios plans to come back to Manila with Reynoso and rendezvous with Reynoso and manager Rafael Mendoza on June 28.
