By Ronnie Nathanielsz
 
Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao says he is "serious about training" for the July 2 war with former super bantamweight champion Oscar Larios adding that this is "a serious challenge to me because he is a two-time world champion, is a little taller than me and throws a lot of punches."
 
Pacquiao told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today he would continue to rest for a little while after checking out of the Cardinal Santos Memorial Hospital where he was confined due to over fatigue caused by his hectic schedule.
 
Pacquiao said he would "do all that needs to be done in the ring so the fans who watch the fight will be happy, most especially our countrymen."
 
Faced with the oft-repeated claims by Larios that he wanted to fight Pacquiao and would knock him out, Pacquiao said he would "train twice as hard" as he did for the rematch with Erik "El Terrible" Morales whom he demolished in nine rounds last January in Las Vegas. Trainer Freddie Roach said the same stringent off-limits regulations will prevail during Pacquiao’s training stint at his Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles and a special training camp being set up in Baguio City by San Miguel Corporation with whom Pacquiao recently signed a megabuck partnership.
 
Pacquiao said it is imperative that he trains really hard since the fight will be held in Manila and Larios has been talking a lot. Pacquiao said Larios had "a long reach and a good right straight" and said he picked Larios because he "didn’t want an easy fight."
 
Pacquiao commended longtime supporter Mayor Lito Atienza for suggesting and helping stage the Larios fight in Manila even as Pacquiao expressed the hope that it would "help in some way to bring about national unity."
 
Atienza said the July 2 fight was "a big, big boost to the positive projection of our country that is why we are so happy. Because Manny is a symbol of our country and we hope that we can all unite behind this endeavor."