Pacman game plan

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao game plan: Wear out De La Hoya

Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao will have one significant edge when he fights Oscar De La Hoya and that is concentration, trainer Freddie Roach said.

According to Roach, the 35-year-old De La Hoya has changed since his younger days as one of the most dominant fighters.

“He’s not quite as active, he’s a little more patient, and he tires a little bit quicker,” Roach said on Monday at the Hollywood gym where he trains Pacquiao. “He has had trouble focusing on the game plan. His mind wanders in there.

“He’s weak-minded. I’m not saying nothing bad about him. But some people are very strong-minded, like Manny Pacquiao, and he can hold the game plan throughout.”

Pacquiao, who faces De La Hoya in a “Dream Match” on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, is also concentrating on his preparation ahead of the bout.

“Spiritual, physical and mental. You have to focus on that,” the 29-year-old Filipino said.

Roach, who has produced 22 world champions, predicted De La Hoya would not last the pace.

“You look at the history of boxing when the older guy fights the younger guy, like when (Muhammad) Ali fought (Larry) Holmes or when Joe Louis got beaten by Rocky Marciano,” Roach told Reuters.

“It’s the younger man’s time. I am 100 percent confident. I don’t think Oscar will be able to keep up and I think we will knock him out in the late rounds.”

Pacquiao, who first fought at 106 pounds, will be fighting at the welterweight limit of 147. He has gained weight, while De La Hoya has been losing. The taller De La Hoya has fought at 160 pounds but is down to 145.

‘Speed will be key’

Pacquiao, who weighs 151 pounds, noted the difference in height, but did not seem concerned about any weight issues for the bout.

“I’m very comfortable at this weight. There are a lot of people saying that Manny Pacquiao is moving up a weight division and, ‘Is he going to be fast or is he going to be slow’?” Pacquiao said.

“In training, we focus on speed, because the speed will be the key in this fight,” he added.

Heavier but stronger

Roach thinks weight also will be a factor that will work in Pacquiao’s favor. After the weigh-in for his 134-pound bout against David Diaz in June, Pacquiao was up to 147 pounds when he stepped into the ring.

“I expected him to be sluggish, though he put too much weight on,” Roach said.

“You know what? He didn’t. He was great that night, he was explosive. I think it was the best fight he’s ever fought. He was very disciplined. There’ll be a lot of similarities in this fight.”

Pacquiao stopped Diaz in the ninth round.

Roach said Pacquiao was stronger now that he had gotten heavier, adding De La Hoya “might be at weight now, but I know he’s killing himself making it and I think he’s going to be weak going into the fight.”

De la Hoya’s jabs

Pacquiao says he is preparing for whatever tactics De La Hoya uses.

“My concern is if he jabs and is running, running,” he said. “We have been working on that. And we are prepared if he’s going to come in and fight toe to toe.”

Training at the Big Bear retreat in the California mountains, De La Hoya said he had dropped pounds but not his punching power.

“Training camp is going well. Being up here has once again ignited that fire in my belly that hasn’t been ignited in many years,” De La Hoya said.

“Now that many weeks have passed by, I feel very comfortable with welterweight. I don’t think we’re sacrificing any power. We’re punching harder than ever.”

Stamina is key

De La Hoya said that when he first reached the welterweight limit, “I did feel a little light headed and weak” and noted that stamina “can be a big problem.”

“I don’t know how my body is going to react come fight night,” he said. “Conditioning is my primary concern.”

Pacquiao will enter the ring 47-3 with two draws and 35 knockouts, while De La Hoya is 39-5 with 30 knockouts.

“I will be extremely disappointed if this fight does not end in a knockout,” De La Hoya said. “It would be a total disaster for me ... I feel very strong.”

He added: “We will put boxing back on the worldwide stage. I beat a young lion like Manny Pacquiao to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world, it helps me prove I can do this and move on and still be successful.”

Grudge fight

“I’m oozing with motivation, that’s for sure,” De La Hoya said.

That stems from a seven-fight deal worth at last $35 million that Pacquiao signed with De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions in 2006, only to return the bonus money two months later and stay with promoter Bob Arum.

“We signed the deal and he turned his back on me and he’s going to have to pay on Dec. 6,” De La Hoya said. “That moment is what makes it personal. I don’t want him to talk about how he honors honor. He didn’t honor me. I’m not going to honor him.”

source: sports.inquirer.net