Even if Manny Pacquiao is not in a shape he wanted him to be in, conditioning coach Alex Ariza said Sunday (Saturday in Manila) that the gifted Filipino fighter is still hard to beat in the ring.
“If Manny is in 100 percent condition, you need three guys to take him,” said Ariza of the Filipino boxing icon who faces Mexican mauler Antonio Margarito on Nov. 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.
Ariza said “a 70 percent or 80 percent Manny Pacquiao” is the 100 percent equivalent of some other top fighters.
Pacquiao reached his peak in sparring Saturday, logging 12 rounds with Ray Beltran, David Rodela and Rashad Holloway, and “looked very good,” according to Ariza, who has been in charge of Pacquiao’s conditioning and nutrition since 2008.
Pacquiao is still in the process of catching up in the final two weeks of training at the Wild Card in Hollywood after a not-so-good stint in Baguio City and Manila.
Trainer Freddie Roach said they’re back on track and that Pacquiao will be armed to the teeth by the time they get to Dallas on Nov. 8 and he remains optimistic that Margarito will not make it past eight rounds.
Meanwhile, like Pacquiao, Margarito is also set to slow down in training beginning this week after chalking up 12 rounds against lefties in one day in Oxnard, California.
Margarito said in his diary that was published by ESPN that “I don't think any fighter would be able to imitate Manny Pacquiao, just as I am sure he doesn't have any fighters around who would fight like me.”
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