Pacquiao Starts Last Leg of Training at Wild Card Gym in L.A.
Published on: 26th October, 2009
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Pacquiao and his boxing entourage have moved to Los Angeles Saturday to start the final leg of the Filipino boxer’s training before he engages Miguel Cotto in their ‘Firepower’ fight which is taking place in Las Vegas Nevada on November 14, 2009.
Famous Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao has landed in Los Angeles California yesterday after his gruelling training under the watchful eyes of his equally famous trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning expert Alex Ariza.
Pacquiao and his team have been holed up at the Shape Up gym in Baguio City Philippines since he started training and physical conditioning in preparation for his upcoming fight with Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico on November 14 in Las Vegas.
Controversies rocked Team Pacquiao while training in Baguio City which drew media attention around the world. Michael Koncz, Pacquiao’s adviser, was reported to have clashed with the pound-for-pound king’s physical conditioning expert Alex Ariza who claimed Koncz deliberately left out Roach in the hotel accommodations for Team Pacquiao. There were also reports of the recurring rift between Roach and Koncz that drew negative reactions from boxing fans.
The popular Filipino boxer and entertainer has been mobbed by US-based Filipino fans on his arrival at the Los Angeles International Airport.
Pacquiao was scheduled to to take a rest for a day before resuming his training at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood. After a rigorous final push at the Wild Card Gym, Team Pacquiao will proceed to Las Vegas for the final event.
Inquirer.net reports
“Roach expects Pacquiao to be only 140 lb during the weigh-in and says the boxer could way 148 or 149 lb during the fight—which will be for Cotto’s WBO welterweight belt.
Roach also warned that he’ll call the fight off if Cotto comes in beyond the regular welterweight limit of 147 lb.”
Part of Roach strategy is to allow Pacquiao to engage Cotto on the early rounds noting that the Puerto Rican boxer is vulnerable in the early rounds based on the tapes of his past fights where he has fallen in the early
