By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Top Rank promoter Bob Arum who keeps tab of Manny Pacquiao’s preparation for his "Lethal Combination" showdown with WBC lightweight champion David Diaz in Las Vegas on June 28 says trainer Freddie Roach has told him "Manny’s preparation is one hundred percent."
Arum told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that according to Roach, Pacquiao didn’t get out of shape after the March 15 bout with Juan Manuel Marquez in which Pacquiao won the WBC super featherweight title in a tough battle.
Arum noted that there wasn’t that much time between the Marquez fight and the showdown with Diaz and besides Pacquiao "didn’t go crazy when he returned to the Philippines" since he had discarded his previous lifestyle of long hours and late nights.
Arum said Pacquiao looked in "very good shape" in sparring and "he’s feeling very, very good."
Arum said "its such a pleasure promoting a fight with two guys (Pacquiao and Diaz) like this. They are bringing out the best in the sport. They are lovely young men and all the violence is in the ring. Outside the ring they respect each other as sportsman and that’s the way boxers should be. They don’t need to trash talk."
