Pacquiao Baguio trip up Sunday

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao pushed his trip to Baguio to Sunday, and immediately his chief trainer, Freddie Roach, said there’s no reason to be alarmed.

“I expected it,” said the celebrated trainer, who had planned to take Pacquiao up to Baguio last night so they could begin training in the country’s summer capital.

“But it’s okay. No need to worry,” said Roach, explaining that it would be better to leave Manila on Sunday than late last night, and risk the possibility of affecting today’s workout.

Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, said since Sunday is a rest day, it would be perfect to get to Baguio by lunch time, rest the whole day, and start the following day with a morning run.

“If we leave on Sunday, I’ll be happy. But if next Wednesday we’re still here in Manila, I will panic,” said Koncz.

Roach said it’s not a problem as long as Pacquiao works hard at the Elorde Boxing Gym in Quezon City, as hard, or even harder than he’d done the past three days.

“I call this the pre-camp. The real camp begins in Baguio. We will get there and still have seven weeks of training. No problem,” the chief trainer reiterated.

Alex Ariza, the strength and conditioning expert, said he might ask Pacquiao to get into swimming for some sort of a cross-training once they get to Baguio.

But Pacquiao overheard Ariza talking about it, and the 31-year-old boxer snapped, smiling, “Shut up.”

“He hates to swim,” said Ariza, who asked Pacquiao to do a few laps when their roadwork was rained out at one point as they trained in Baguio for the Miguel Cotto fight.

“Maybe when we get there I can make him like it,” Ariza whispered.

Roach said he’s happy where Pacquiao is at the moment, weighing just a little over 150 lb with still so much to do in training for the WBC super-welterweight (154 lb) title fight with Antonio Margarito.

Since there’s a catchweight of 151 lb, it seems that Pacquiao is way out of trouble making the weight. In fact, Roach yesterday bared his plans as far as the issue is concerned.

“I want Manny to tip the scales for the official weigh-in at 148 to 149 pounds,” he said.

And for fight night, the celebrated trainer continued, he wants Pacquiao to climb the ring at the same weight.