By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao’s conditioning guru Alex Ariza who helped Pacquiao get into the best shape of his career as evidenced in his devastating performances against David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton says Miguel Cotto’s conditioning expert Phil Landman “is the real deal.”
Landman who is expected to join Cotto’s training camp in Puerto Rico on August 22 has been credited with members of the WBO welterweight champion’s inner circle as someone who has become a key component of the success of Cotto who is always in excellent shape when he enters the ring.
Ariza told www.insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that Cotto is “always in good shape and I think Phil Landman deserves the credit for that.”
At the same time Ariza said in relation to Pacquiao, “at my end of the conditioning I guess I’ll have my work cut out for me.”
While there has been some concern over Pacquiao’s hectic schedule shooting movies, television shows, endorsements and other activities while Cotto is already in training camp, Ariza didn’t appear to be too concerned.
Ariza said if it was any other fighter he’d be really worried but “Manny is such a really tough phenom when it comes to training. He is a phenomenal athlete. His recovery is something and once he gets in it, he’s in it a hundred percent.”
The conditioning guru said “maybe this is his way of getting it all out of his system and getting ready to come back and do the work. He knows what’s in store for him as far as all the work that we have to do.”
Ariza said Cotto is a much tougher fighter than De La Hoya or Hatton and believes he will be “really prepared for this fight” which is scheduled at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on November 14.
However, Ariza pointed out that “the Manny Pacquiao that came in to fight Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao that definitely came in to fight Ricky Hatton is a really tough fighter too. An in-shape and trained Manny Pacquiao is really going to be unbeatable.”
As of now there’s no word on where Pacquiao will eventually train with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum reportedly pushing for the Bahamas, trainer Freddie Roach preferring Baguio City to any other site in the Philippines and others suggesting Mexico which will help keep the so-called LA Boys who are considered a ditraction, away from Pacquiao since some of them are in the US illegally and cannot get visas to travel to Mexico..
