By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Filipino boxing hero Manny Pacquiao will cut short his training stint in Baguio City and continue training in Manila at the Wild Card Gym of his late manager and mentor Rod Nazario in Sucat, Paranaque beginning Tuesday.
The son of Nazario, Romel Nazario indicated that the gym has been readied for Pacquiao this week and will be closed while the world’s pound-for-pound king trains there.
A final decision for Team Pacquiao, which includes trainer Freddie Roach, assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez and conditioning expert Alex Ariza, to motor down from Baguio City to Manila on Monday was made by Pacquiao.
Pacquiao who battles WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto in a 145 pound catch-weight title fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 14 was reportedly shooting the final stages of his movie in the summer capital on his rest day, Sunday.
Ariza said he was very confident about Pacquiao’s chances of winning a seventh world title adding “he is in the best shape I’ve ever seen him. He’s really good.”
Meantime, BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports was told that things had cooled off in the Pacquiao training camp following the recent explosion when Ariza reportedly beat up Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz.
Although Koncz denied he was beaten up by Ariza and suggested that fans focus on the upcoming “Fire Power” showdown and not side issues, Ariza himself confirmed that he had hit Koncz with five punches before Team Pacquiao bodyguards wrestled him away.
Ariza said that Koncz doesn’t come anywhere near him since the incident.
