MANILA, Philippines - Hindi nag-aalala si Manny Pacquiao sa laban niya kay Floyd Mayweather, Jr. sa Mayo 2 sa MGM Grand sa Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mas kinabahan pa siya sa kanyang pagsagupa kina Oscar De La Hoya at Miguel Cotto noong Disyembre 6, 2008 at Nobyembre 14, 2009, ayon sa pagkakasunod.
“I’m more worried about my last few fights with (Oscar) De La Hoya and (Miguel) Cotto than this fight,” sabi ni Pacquiao kina De La Hoya at Cotto na pareho niyang tinalo.
Maglalaban ang 36-anyos na si Pacquiao at ang 38-anyos na si Mayweather sa sinasabing ‘biggest fight’ sa kasaysayan ng boxing.
Nang mapag-usapan ang posible nilang banggaan noong 2009 ay inihanda na ni Pacquiao (57-5-2, 38 KOs) ang kanyang sarili laban kay Mayweather (47-0-0, 26 KOs.
“I’ve been preparing in my mind for this fight for five years, and now I have the chance to execute what I’ve been planning,” wika ni Pacquiao.
Idinagdag pa ng Sarangani Congressman na ma-laki ang maitutulong ng kanilang mega showdown ni Mayweather sa boxing history kagaya ng laban nina Muhammad Ali at Joe Frazier.
“This fight is important for boxing history,” ani Pacquiao. “We don’t want to leave a question mark in the minds of the fans.”
Itinuturing naman ni Freddie Roach ang pagsagupa ni Pacquiao kay Mayweather bilang pinakamabigat na hamon sa kanya bilang trainer.
“I love challenges. And this is the biggest challenge of my life. We’re fighting the best fighter in the world, and we’re going to kick his ass,” sabi ni Roach, isang Hall of Fame trainer.
Para tutukan ang training camp nila ni Pacquiao ay hinigpitan ni Roach ang seguridad sa kanyang Wild Card Boxing Club sa Hollywood, California.
At bilang patunay na seryoso siya sa kanyang patakaran ay hindi niya pinapasok sa Wild Card si comedian David Chappelle kamakalawa.
“There were just a few of us in the gym, maybe five of us, and I asked Manny, ‘Don’t you like this better?’” ani Roach. “I have a rule for this fight that if you’re in the gym and you’re not doing something, then get out.” (RC)