Filipino boxing hero and world pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao is stronger than he was when he scored a devastating second round knockout over IBO light welterweight champion Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last May 2.
That’s the word from conditioning expert Alex Ariza who spoke to BoxingScene.com, insidesports, Standard Today and Viva Sports from Pacquiao’s training camp in the summer capital of Baguio City. Ariza said Pacquiao sparred four rounds with undefeated light middleweight Shawn Porter who has a record of 10-0 with 8 knockouts and two rounds with lightweight Urbano Antillon (26-1, 19 KO’s) and “looked good and strong” with six weeks left before the “Fire Power” showdown with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto on November 14 in Las Vegas.
Ariza quoted trainer Freddie Roach as saying Pacquiao “looks better and better every time he sees him.” The conditioning expert conceded that the 21 year old Porter gave Pacquiao some problems in their first sparring session but that Pacquiao recovered quickly and “has been on track ever since” and even looks stronger than he was for the Hatton fight in which he separated the Briton from his senses with a crippling left in round two.
Ariza said Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who visited the training camp as well as Roach had “made some comments on how big Pacquiao is getting so fast.” However, the conditioning expert who helped Pacquiao improve in terms of his power and explosiveness since joining the Roach team prior to the David Diaz 9th round demolition explained that “the body and the muscles have memory so he’s just reverting back to what it used to be but a little faster than we had in the past. That’s all it is. It remembers where it was in the Hatton fight and is getting right back.”
Ariza said he had told Roach “not to worry because its not going to affect his speed.” He emphasized that Pacquiao “is stronger, is faster than he was in the past.” He said he “took Pacquiao to the track last week for the first time and said his speed is almost what it was in the last camp.”
Pacquiao went 15 rounds on the punch-mitts on Monday and two circuits of plyometrics and strengthening and conditioning routines and looked very good. Ariza stressed that “if we could hold it here until we get to America and we can hold that weight we will be right on track.”
Former world champion Jose Luis Castillo was also reportedly joining the roster of Pacquiao spar-mates. He was supposed to fight last month and so he is expected to be in condition because Roach has made it clear that if Castillo is not in shape he will be sent back home on the first available flight.
Source: boxingscene.com
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