Pacquiao outpaces sparring mate Castillo

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/13/2009 11:51 PM
MANILA -- Former world champion Jose Luis Castillo of Mexico had a difficult time trading gloves with the faster Manny Pacquiao when they sparred in preparation for the Filipino’s November 14 fight with Puerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto. Pacquiao’s conditioning expert Alex Ariza said in a report by InsideSports.ph that the Filipino’s latest sparring session was the best yet. Ariza said Castillo, a former World Boxing Council (WBC) champion who has fought the likes of Diego Corrales, Joel Casamayor and Ricky Hatton, had a hard time figuring out Pacquiao during their 3-round session. “[Manny is] so fast, so nimble. Castillo was trying to figure him out. He still has to get used to Manny,” said Ariza. Castillo went to Pacquiao's training camp in Baguio City to help in the Filipino's preparation for the "Firepower" match with Cotto. After sparring with the Mexican champ, Pacquiao went on for 4 rounds with American junior middleweight Shawn Porter. “It was Manny’s best sparring yet and he’s on point and went seven rounds easily,” said Ariza.

He said so fast was Pacquiao during the session that his sparring mates found it difficult to land solid punches. “Manny can hit them whenever he likes and when he starts going they can’t catch him,” said Ariza. Despite being the more popular fighter, Pacquiao said he will still have to prove his abilities against Cotto, the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion. “Kinakailangan kong dalhin ang laban sa kampeon at dapat lang na maipakita ko ang aking kahandaan upang makopo natin ang ikapitong magkaibang dibisyon na siyang magiging bagong world boxing record,” he earlier said in column “Kumbinasyon”. He said Cotto is no pushover because the Puerto Rican is a legitimate welterweight. “Hindi madali ang laban na ito,” he said.