By Rey Danseco
MANNY Pacquiao has tentatively set his flight to Los Angeles, California on May 13 in preparation for his rigid training for the anticipated hard-fight against Mexico’s Oscar Larios on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum.
Pacquiao’s buddy/trainer Restituto “Buboy” Fernandez revealed the date yesterday. But he added that the schedule remains tentative until it would be finalized today.
“Hindi pa 100 percent sure ang schedule ng flight ni Manny, tentatively sa May 13 ang flight niya,” said Fernandez in a phone interview from Cebu City where he trains former two-division Philippine titlist and one-time Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation (OPBF) super bantamweight king Jimrex Jaca.
The people to travel along with Pacquiao have not yet been confirmed, according to Fernandez. But the only only one thing is certain, he will not join Pacquiao on the trip.
“May ibang flight schedule ako,” said Fernandez.
OPBF TITLE FIGHT
Fernandez will be Jaca’s chief second in his bid for the vacant OPBF super featherweight title against Japanese Nobuhito Honmo on May 20 at the fabled Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
“From Japan, lilipad ako sa LA sa (May) 21 (to join Pacquiao),” said Fernandez.
While in LA, Fernandez will help American trainer Freddie Roach in training Pacquiao at the Wild Card Gym as well as young Bobby Pacquiao’s preparation for the schedule title defense next month.
The younger Pacquiao flew to LA on April 28 all by himself and trains under Roach and conditioning coach Justine Fortune since then.
WBC AMERICAS TITLE DEFENSE
Bobby is slated to put his WBC Continental Americas super featherweight title against former WBC featherweight champ Kevin Kelly, a 36-year old American, as part of a pay-per-view on June 10 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.
Fernandez and Roach will guide the younger Pacquiao in his first defense of the title he won over American southpaw Carlos Navarro with 7th round knockout on June 17, 2005 in Friant, California. The pound-for-pound icon, also known as “Destroyer” and “Pacman” of professional boxing, might see the fight at ringside.
Based on plans, the former two-division world champ will train for Larios fight with his WBC international super featherweight title on the line for the whole month of May before they shift in high altitude training in Baguio City in June.
Several weeks ago, according to Fernandez, Pacquiao has started working on the road, skips the rope and other pre-conditioning regimen in General Santos City to prepare for the exhaustive close-door training in Roach’s sweat-shop.
