Dundee picks Floyd Jr over Manny in super tiff

 MANILA, Philippines - Floyd Mayweather Jr. has found an ally in Angelo Dundee.

Yesterday, over 8countnews.com, the legendary trainer spoke briefly on the possibility of the superfight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao finally taking place.

The renowned trainer of Muhammad Ali, still being hailed as “The Greatest,” did not say when it’s going to happen, but what he said was that it’s going to happen.

“I think it will happen,” Dundee told Brad Cooney at the tailend of an exclusive 25-minute one-on-one interview.

Dundee spoke about a new gym he’s opening in Miami soon, and assured everyone that when the day comes, Muhammad Ali will be there to grace the occasion, be with friends and fans, both old and new ones.

“He will be there,” Dundee said, also assuring everything that the former heavyweight champion will be open for photographs simply because “he’s never turned down” any.

Then Dundee was asked about the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, a fight that actually came close to happening twice. But twice as well, negotiators just couldn’t get it done.

“I think it will happen and I think Mayweather will beat Pacquiao,” said Dundee, who should be aware of Mayweather’s recent brush with the law.

“Mayweather is probably the best fighter around today in my opinion -- the way he does things effortlessly. He’s a smart kid and he’d very effective with his punches,” he said.

It’s just too bad that Dundee said the same things when he helped train Oscar dela Hoya for the fight with Pacquiao in December of 2008.

Everybody knows what happened in that fight.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza might have his hands full while he’s in the country to help train the Filipino champion for his Nov. 13 fight with Antonio Margarito.

The Philippine Sports Commission, in charge of overseeing the welfare of the close to 1,000 athletes from the national pool, wants Ariza to share with them the secrets of making Pacquiao click.

“We thought of asking help from Alex Ariza,” said PSC chairman Richie Garcia who had the chance to sit down with the fighting congressman the other day. 

“We are trying to get him (Ariza) to spare maybe a day or a few days to talk to our coaches or the people concerned with the nutrition of our athletes and share us his secret,” said Garcia.

The PSC chief said he can send a group of coaches from different sports up to Baguio when Pacquiao’s training begins in a few days, and have a word with Ariza.

“Or if he has the time maybe Ariza can conduct a one-day seminar here. It’s truly remarkable how Pacquiao has fought in many weights and perform as great as many years back when he was in the lighter divisions.

“He doesn’t seem to tire considering that we learned that his food still consists of the Filipino type like tinolang manok. We were told that his nutritionist (Teri Tom) gives him what he wants to eat and they just balance it.”