Pacquiao Blog 2: Roach likes Baguio

Coach Freddie Roach arrived in Baguio and went straight to the gym to spar with Manny Pacquiao. "I just arrived in Baguio and haven't checked in my room yet," he said after sparring till the afternoon.

But Roach liked what he saw and intends to train here for five and a half weeks.

"The gym is beautiful. It's world class and very nice," he said.

The only problem is the altitude. "There's the altitude to play with. It's 2,000 meters above sea level and they're going to fight in Las Vegas," he said.

That meant that Pacquiao would have to go and train on sea level in the US two to two and a half weeks before the fight.

Roach also liked what he saw with Pacquiao. "If I didn't know any better. I would have said he was in the gym for a month now," Roach said. Roach arrived with nutritionist Alex Ariza.

Boxing king Manny Pacquiao is firming up his abdomen in preparation for his November 14 fight against Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, who would be defending his WBO welterweight title in Las Vegas.

"Mahirap gawin ito pero kailangan. Body puncher si Cotto," Pacquiao said as he did his exercises to firm up his torso.

Among the new exercises prepared for Pacquiao for his trainers include ab cruches, cross-knee crunches and pull crunches. He also included hanging leg raises, lying leg raises and reverse crunches.

Pacquiao also asked his trainers to raise the boxing speed ball be adjusted to the height of Cotto, who at 5 foot 7 inches is a half-inch taller than him.

"My trainers and I have devised ways to fight him," said Pacquiao.

In his sparring rounds, assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez set up jab and counter jab routines to fight Cotto's body punches.

Pacquiao said sparring boxers which reportedly would included one from Puerto Rico and another from Mexico would be coming in the later days.

But outside the Shape Up Boxing gym, Pacquiao is back to his showbiz form.

In his early morning jog at the Sta. Lucia Golf Course below Naguilian Road, he even rode behind a motorbike.

He even exchanged jokes with the crowd who joined him.

One told him, "Kayang-kaya mo si Cotto!"

"Oo, may shampoo naman kami," Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao said that he is satisfied with the jogging route with its up-and-down topography and relatively secure surroundings.

Even as Cotto has already departed from his native Puerto Rico to the Tampa Fight Factory Gym in Tampa, Florida for his eight-week training, Pacquiao is staying put here in Baguio.

"I will go there in the US maybe three weeks before to acclimatize myself with the weather and the condition," he said.