Baguio ready for Pacquiao’s training

Reporting from Baguio City, trainer Buboy Fernandez said the City of Pines and the facilities available up there is suited for Manny Pacquiao’s training camp for the Nov. 14 fight with Miguel Cotto.

“I have inspected the gym and discovered a perfect running area that Manny will use once he begins training here soon,” said Fernandez, who was sent there by Pacquiao last Friday to see if Baguio is ideal to host his training camp.

Fernandez said Freddie Roach will have nothing to worry about the security inside the gym because he’ll instruct the hotel staff to stop onlookers to barge inside without his permission.

“I think coach Freddie will like it once he sees what Baguio has to offer.

Coach Freddie need not worry about distractions and I can assure him that we’ll be focused during training.”

Fernandez added that a three bedroom suite could be Pacquiao’s temporary dwelling during the five to six week training camp in Baguio.

Fernandez, widely regarded as Roach’s disciple, said the gym has “everything installed.”

Roach has been vehemently protesting that Pacquiao should instead agree to go with him to Toluca, Mexico, to avoid distractions brought about by frequent visits from Pacquiao’s pals, politicians and showbiz buddies.

Pacquiao is expected to report for training camp as soon as he gets back from a five-city six-day press tour that kicks off on Sept. 10 at Yankee Stadium in New York. Puerto Rico, San Francisco,
Los Angeles and San Diego will also host the traveling circus.

Cotto will no longer be in San Diego since he will go straight to his training camp in Tampa. Florida.

Cotto has already been training in Puerto Rico the past four weeks.

Source: mb.com.ph

Did Pacquiao put Roach in his Place?

Recently, Manny Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach went head to head over where the training should take place for Pacquiao’s next bout against Miguel Cotto. Roach wanted the training to take place in Mexico, while Pacquiao preferred the same confines of the Philippines.

In the end, Pacquiao got his way and the fight will be taking place in Baguio, in the Philippines. Its unclear how Roach will take this, because he’s seems to have enjoyed his newfound popularity that he’s found because largely due to Pacquiao’s success in the ring.

Roach has seemed like the boss in their interactions with each other, at least in their training camps. However, with Pacquiao basically telling Roach where the training will be taking place, it looks as if Pacquiao is showing who the real boss is in this relationship. Roach is, in essence, an employee of Pacquiao and can be replaced at any time if Pacquiao sees fit.

Beyond the location of where the training camp was to take place, Roach and Pacquiao disagreed about when the training should begin. Roach wanted the training to start already, but Pacquiao was having none of it, saying that eight weeks was enough.

With Pacquiao throwing his weight around more and more, will this affect Roach and their upcoming training? Is their relationship starting to show cracks? It’s hard to tell at this point. It will be interesting to see how well the training camp goes because this isn’t a good start. Roach has a lot of pride, and is highly sought after by boxing’s best fighters. If things don’t work out with Pacquiao, Roach will have a soft landing regardless. The way I see it, Roach should swallow his pride and continue to ride the Pacquiao gravy train until the bitter end. Roach should stay until Pacquiao either dismisses him, retires or begins to get beaten up on a regular occasion.

Roach’s main focus should be on working with Pacquiao and trying to make him a better fighter. Let all the other stuff, such as training locations and future opponents be decided by Pacquiao and his paid advisers.

Source: boxingnews24.com

Pacman slates tour

Manny Pacquiao is embarking on a whirlwind cross-country tour of five cities in the US and Puerto Rico starting with a press conference for his November 14 super fight with Miguel Cotto at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York on Thursday.

Pacquiao and key members of his team are flying to New York via Cathay Pacific at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

They are expected to touch down at JFK International at 2 p.m. also of Wednesday in time for the next day’s affair.

Fred Sternburg, one of countless publicists being tapped by Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum of Top Rank to lend a hand to the mega-event at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, said the gig set at 12 noon is open to fight fans although media planning to cover the event will have to request for credentials with the New York Yankees front office.

From New York, Pacquiao and Cotto will take a four-hour flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to attend a similar event at the Centro de Bellas Artes de Caguas (Center for Dance and Arts) in Cotto’s hometown of Caguas on September 12.

Then it’s back to the US mainland for another round of media events, starting with San Francisco on September 13 where Pacquiao and Cotto will face off once again at the AT&T Park. From the Bay Area, Pacquiao and Cotto bring their act to Los Angeles on September 14 with another press conference at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

On September 15, Pacquiao will motor to San Diego to grace the baseball game featuring the Padres at PETCO Park. Cotto will no longer be doing the San Diego event as he will either make a return trip to Puerto Rico or head straight to his training camp in Tampa, Florida.

Top Rank publicist Lee Samuels said high-ranking officials of HBO Pay-Per-View and Bob Halloran of the MGM Grand will also be joining the tour, which Samuels predicts “will be one of our greatest press tours -- a throwback to the huge nationwide tours we did in the 1980s.”

Pacquiao, meanwhile, will fly back to the Philippines to get himself all primed up for the training camp in Baguio, hopefully, with trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Alex Ariza joining the Filipino fighter.

Roach has also recruited three sparring partners who will likely be told to fly with them to get used to the local climate although Pacquiao will not begin sparring until two weeks after his pre-conditioning training.

Source: mb.com.ph

MANNY PACQUIAO VS MIGUEL COTTO BETTING TIPS

Stanjames.com has laid out odds for the widely-anticipated battle between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel-Angel Cotto on November 13th. While the fight is a still several months away, we expect the momentum to build up significantly, especially if Floyd Mayweather wins his fight against Juan Manuel Marquez- setting up an incredible clash between Pacquiao and Mayweather in early 2010.

Understandably, Pacquiao goes into this fight with a tremendous amount of support. Stan James has backed him to win at an outright price of 1.44 compared to Cotto's price of 2.63.

You will also find early prices on the method of victory, with a points win for at 4.5 for the Phillipino and a points win for Cotto trading at around 6.0 at the moment. I think these prices are that high for a reason- we're going to see a knockout in this fight. In fact, you become quite sure of it when you look at the round-by-round betting they have available at Stan James.

You'll find Pacquiao listed between 34.0 and 17.0 with the favoured period coming in the 5th and 6th rounds. He is 21.0 in rounds 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9. I think that's an incredible price on the 8th and 9th rounds and I think there's a lot of money to be made here. You will also notice that Stan James has laid Cotto's round-by-round odds at identical to Pacquiao's and I think this gives a distinct advantage to the bettor. Cotto will win in the very late rounds if he pulls it off, while I think Pacquiao could end this one very very early like he did against Hatton. If Manny doesn't pull it off in rounds 1-3 then sit back and wait until the 8 and 9th.

He will win by KO, it's all just a matter of when. Pacquiao-Mayweather is going to be the fight of the decade.

Source: bettingchoice.co.uk

Pacquiao to start promo tour for bout

MANILA, Philippines - Late nights will soon be over for Manny Pacquiao.

The world’s best boxer today is set to embark on a whirlwind press tour of five key cities to mark the start of his preparations for the Nov. 14 clash with WBA welterweight champion Miguel Cotto.

He leaves for New York on Wednesday to be at the Yankees Stadium at noon of Sept. 10 for the launch of the press tour that would take him and Cotto to Caguas, Puerto Rico on Sept. 12, the AT&T Park in San Francisco for the Giants-Dodgers match on Sept. 13, the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles on Sept. 14 and the PETCO Park in San Diego (Pacquiao only) for the Padres-Diamondbacks match on Sept. 15.

After a day or two, Pacquiao heads back to the Philippines, hopefully with his chief trainer, Freddie Roach, on hand, for the start of his training in Baguio City. According to plans, Pacquiao will train in the country’s summer capital, and would move to the Wild Card Gym in LA three weeks before the showdown.

Once training starts, it means no more late nights, parties, and shooting of movies and commercials for the 30-year-old icon who said the other day that while he was very busy the last couple of months he made sure he knew his limitations.

“There are some late nights because I worked on my showbiz career. But I made sure I get enough rest. I know my body. Sinigurado ko naman na sapat din ang pahinga ko kahit na medyo napupuyat,” said Pacquiao, who vowed to give it all once training starts.

While his tireless Canadian adviser, Mike Koncz, worked for possible training sites in Mexico or Vancouver, Pacquiao chose Baguio City, and has asked Roach to come over as soon as the press tour is done and over with.

Pacquiao the other day cleared the air on the rumored rift between him and Roach regarding the training, and on some things being written about Koncz.

“Things are being said and written about Mike Koncz but to set it straight he’s just doing his job. I like him because he gets the job done. And contrary to what’s being said, it’s not him calling the shots. I do. He only does what I tell him to do. Masipag siya (He’s hardworking),” said Pacquiao of Koncz.

Pacquiao’s Filipino trainer, Buboy Fernandez, is now up in Baguio for an ocular inspection of the possible training camp inside Teachers’ Village. The route that will cover Pacquiao’s roadwork, both flat and mountainous courses, is being laid out by Fernandez.

He said eight weeks should be enough to get him in tip-top fighting form and everybody who knows the pride of Saranggani Province in Mindanao could attest to the fact that when he trains he trains like no other.

Tax laws have prevented Pacquiao from staying in the US for the duration of his eight-week training as aliens like him are only given so much time to stay there. He is close to his limit (180 days in three years), and if he goes beyond that he will be heavily taxed.

Source: philstar.com

Pacquiao vs Cotto - Firepower - Press Tour Teaser

Pacquiao OKs Baguio training

Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum on Friday sounded as though he was appealing to Manny Pacquiao to change his mind as to the preferred venue for his training camp for the November 14 battle with Miguel Cotto.

“For a tough fight, the preparation is not adequate,” Arum told the Bulletin, referring to Pacquiao’s choice of Baguio as the place that will host his preparation.

Arum said there are other more ideal places to set up camp with Freddie Roach, rattling Vancouver in Canada and three cities in Mexico as perfect sites.

While Baguio has its positive sides, it wouldn’t be as good as training someplace else, noted Arum, who also promotes Cotto.

“Pacquiao is a sensational fighter and tough,” said the Harvard-educated lawyer from his office in Las Vegas.

Roach is batting for Pacquiao to go with him to an isolated training camp in the mountains of Toluca in Mexico and the 48-year-old trainer said he will try to persuade the Filipino southpaw to make that choice when he gets to talk to him during the five-city press tour starting next week.

Roach told The Ring online that “wherever I get him, I’ll make sure he’s ready for the fight.”

The press tour will kick off with a press conference at Yankee Stadium in New York on September 10 followed by similar gigs in Cotto’s hometown of Caguas in Puerto Rico (September 12), AT&T Park in San Francisco (September 13), Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles (September 14), and at the PETCO Park for a Padres games in San Diego (September 15).

As the suspense builds up, Arum said Pacquiao will be the one to call the shots as to the venue of his training camp.

“If Manny wants to train in Baguio, everybody goes with him,” said Roach, who has tapped Shawn Porter, Raymund Serrano and Urbano Antillon as sparring partners.

The Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines gym inside Teacher’s Camp, operated by the Philippine Sports Commission, will likely be the site of Pacquiao’s camp.

Source: mb.com.ph