Pacquiao Starts Training For Miguel Cotto Showdown

Manny Pacquiao has begun training for his “Fire Power” showdown with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand on November 14 paying scant attention to the wild accusations by Floyd Mayweather Sr that the Filipino boxing hero had taken steroids and other power-enhancing supplements.

Mayweather Sr claimed that the devastating left hook that knocked the senses out of IBO light welterweight champion Ricky “The Hitman ” Hatton last May was the result of the power Pacquiao gained from the use of drugs even though the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s executive director Keith Kizer cleared Pacquiao saying he had been tested before and after his past fights and was clean.

Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz said Pacquiao appreciated the statement of Kizer in an exclusive interview with the BoxingScene, ABS-CBN and Standard Today team in Las Vegas and indicated Mayweather Sr’s TV interviews would strengthen the case Pacquiao may decide to file against the trainer for his baseless accusations that were defamatory.

Koncz said Pacquiso went jogging in the morning and was scheduled to workout at the “In This Corner” gym of his former business manager Rod Nazario in Sucat, Paranaque.
He said Pacquiao would travel to Baguio City on Sunday where he will set up training camp for some four weeks with trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning guru Alex Ariza scheduled to arrive from Los Angeles over the next couple of days.

Filipino trainer Restituto “Buboy” Ferrnandez is already in Baguio City setting up the training camp.

In a recent interview with BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports, Pacquiao disclosed that he had been training despite his hectic schedule and often took time out to play basketball. Even when he was in San Frasncisco last Sunday on a promotional tour stop Pacquiao found time for as game of basketball at a local high school gym.

Meantime, Mayweather Sr spoke about Pacquiao’s fight against Cotto saying “if Pacman stays on the right places which is his (Cotto’s) eye right now and Manny stay there hr’s gonna be alright, but if not he‘s got a big chance of losing.”

Asked to elaborate, Mayweather Sr said Cotto “is a much bigger man, stronger man and even though he fought a bad fight in his last fight (against Joshuas Clottey) I still think he is a better fighter technically, all around.”