Pacquiao to fight another Mexican?

Another Mexican boxer outside of the "Big Three" is being lined up as Manny Pacquiao’s next opponent.

The 26-year-old Pacquiao, who lost to Mexico’s Erik Morales at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas last March 19, said his backers are planning a comeback fight for him sometime in July against another Mexican

"Malamang Mexicano ulit ang maging sunod na kalaban ko," said Pacquiao who defeated Marco Antonio Barrera in 2003 and drew with Juan Manuel Marquez in 2004 before facing Morales recently.

Morales, Barrera and Marquez are the "Big Three" in Pacquiao’s resume. Marquez, however, has remained a featherweight at 126 lbs while the rest are now fighting as super-featherweights at 130 lbs.

Barrera is the reigning WBC and WBA champion and is said to be considering a rematch with Pacquiao who stopped him in 11 rounds the first time they met. But it will all depend on the result of Pacquiao’s next bout.

"Hindi ko pa alam kung sino ang makakalaban. Pero inaayos na ng manager ko. Pero sa bandang July nga daw," added Pacquiao. A rematch with Morales is also being looked at by the end of the year.

"Parang ako kasi ang tinik sa lalamunan nitong mga Mexicano," said Pacquiao when asked why he’s been facing these boxers one after the other.

The next time Pacquiao fights in the US, however, he’ll be training under an entirely different set-up.

His fans in the US, particularly those based in Los Angeles, may not like it, but they’ll hardly see Pacquiao train at the Wild Card Gym along Vine St. in Hollywood anymore.

Pacquiao’s American trainer, Freddie Roach, now wants Pacquiao to hold camp at Big Bear in California or in Phoenix, Arizona, far away from the public and the prying eyes of fight scouts.

"I believe that next time we get ready for a fight, at least a month before the fight we’re gonna hold camp at Big Bear or Phoenix, Arizona," said Roach during a late-night interview by Dong Puno Live last Thursday.

"We’re gonna have to isolate him a little more," he added.

Leading to his fight against Morales, Pacquiao was treated like a movie star in the US, his every move in and out of the gym closely watched and followed by his team members, close friends and ordinary fans.

A bloated entourage also did not serve the Filipino boxer well. There were just too many people around him, even when he was resting inside his rented unit at the Oakwood Condominium along Sunset Blvd.

His $4,000-a-month, two-bedroom unit was turned into a "padhouse" with people just coming in and out of it until late in the evening. This shouldn’t be the case for a fighter preparing for a big fight.

Things didn’t change at all when Pacquiao moved into his 18th floor suite at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Close to a dozen people were with him most of the time, some of them even playing "tong-its" (a Filipino card game) at the center table.

During the same TV talk show, Pacquiao said he didn’t know of the negative effects of this kind of a set-up until he lost the bout to the skillful Mexican boxer.

"Madami kasi akong barkada sa Los Angeles at hindi ko naman sila mapa-alis kapag nandiyan sila sa kuwarto ko (I have lots of friends in Los Angeles and I just couldn’t turn them away)," said Pacquiao.

"Pero next time, hindi na nga puwede siguro. Minsang para ngang nag-kulang na ako sa tulog. Siguro maintindihan nila. Ganyan kasi talaga ako sa mga kaibigan ko. Hindi pala puro katawan mo lang ang kundisyon. Dapat pati isip," said Pacquiao.

In the gym, which was just a couple of blocks away from the condominium, it was the same atmosphere.

Originally, his workouts were supposed to be open to the public only on Saturdays. But it seemed it was hardly followed, each day turning out to be fans’ day. Pacquiao would spend two hours working out with so many non-boxers around.

While all these were happening, Morales was training in seclusion at the Otomi mountains in Mexico. After he arrived in Las Vegas five days before the bout, he was no longer seen except during weigh-in and the fight itself. He practiced behind closed doors, unlike Pacquiao.

"Manny loves his countrymen. He loves performing for them in the gym," observed Roach who also might have to do away with the loud "Nirvana or Guns and Roses" music while Pacquiao trains.

At times, the music was so loud that you can’t even hear the guy next to you or it makes you think that Pacquiao, with all the cameras around, is being filmed for an MTV.

All these will have to stop – if they want to see Pacquiao going.