World Boxing Council (WBC) Lightweight Champion Manny Pacquiao said his training at Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California is beginning to heat up with only a few weeks away from the much-awaited December 6 “Dream Match” against Oscar de la Hoya.

“Habang lumalamig po dito sa Los Angeles, siya namang painit nang panit sa loob ng Wild Card gym ni coach Freddie Roach para sa paghahanda nating lahat sa laban,” Pacquiao said in his column Kumbinasyon which was posted on Philboxing.com.

Included in his training regimen is his uphill jog to Los Angeles’s Griffith Park, where he usually does his laps each time he prepares for an upcoming fight.

“Sa bundok ng Hollywood ko palalakasin ang aking baga at paa upang hindi ako mahapo sa araw na ng boksing at lalong gaganda ang ating tsansa,” he said.

Pacquiao added that he still has to undergo numerous rounds of sparring to complete his training.

The Filipino has already put himself to the test by sparring with super welterweight Rashad Holloway. The 5’10″ fighter hired by Roach tried to mimic de la Hoya’s move and to condition Pacquiao against a bigger opponent.

After the sparring, Halloway said ‘Pacman’ “is too fast and very strong. I felt those body shots.”

Pacquiao also said that the fight fans’ waiting time for the Dream Match won’t take that long.

“Hindi natin mamamalayan at ilang tulog na lang ang December 6, na siyang araw ng sagupaan namin ni Golden Boy” he said.

De la Hoya prepares self for the ‘best Pacquiao’

The “Golden Boy” himself is making his own preparations as he trains to fight the best version of Pacquiao.

Eric Gomez, the vice-president of de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions (GBP), said the Mexican-American is motivated to train hard.

“Oscar’s preparing to fight the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He’s getting ready with everything in mind, I mean, ‘he’s gonna hit me in the body, my face, anywhere so I gotta prepare for that,’ so stuff like that doesn’t bother him. He’s a veteran,” Gomez said in a report posted on SportsNews.ph.

The incisive Gomez even likened Pacquiao to Marvin Hagler, one of the greatest southpaw fighters of the sport.

“Obviously, Oscar believes he is fighting one of the best southpaws in the history of boxing in Manny Pacquiao. You can put Manny’s name up there with Marvin Hagler,” Gomez said.

“You’re dealing with an Oscar now that’s not in his prime. He’s still good and he can still compete at a high level, but he’s not in his prime anymore,” Gomez added.

Gomez also said de la Hoya is focused on preparing against a fighter whom he believes has the skills to humiliate him inside the ring.

“Oscar has all of Manny’s fights. Oscar’s going to expect the best possible Manny. Oscar’s throwing out that ‘he’s too little’ and stuff like that, he’s throwing that out of the window,” he said.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com