By Mark Vester
The next phase of Manny Pacquaio's traing camp is kicking into gear as the Filipino fighter prepares for upcoming fight with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto on November 14. Former champion Jose Luis Castillo is expected to arrive in the next couple of days to join Pacquiao's camp in Baguio City. Castillo will join Shawn Porter and Urbano Antillon as Pacquiao's sparring partners. Antillon is expected to leave soon to the United States for a fight.
Roach said if Castillo is not in shape, he will get bounced from the camp.
“If he’s not in shape I’ll send him home right away,” Roach said to The Philippine Star.
Roach said the training period was going to get a lot tougher. He views Cotto as the most dangerous fight of Pacquiao's entire career. Pacquiao is already slimming down and completed twelve rounds of sparring against Porter and Antillon. Roach says the work rate will start to rise. Currently the sparring is going to be done in batches of three, four and five rounds sessions. Roach will slowly increase them to six, eight, ten and twelve rounds.
“More rounds of sparring and lots of hard work,” Roach said.
Alex Ariza, Pacquiao's strength and conditioning coach, says it won't be easy.
“We’re going to try to make sure that Manny brings his power with him and we build on his strength as he bulks up without necessarily negating his speed,” said Ariza.
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