Larios: I’m here to beat Pacquiao

The first thing he noticed inside Oscar Larios’ three-bedroom suite was that the refrigerator was loaded. The first thing he ordered was for it to be emptied.

"I want it emptied. I want nothing. If Oscar eats, he increases his weight. We are watching his weight," said Larios’ Mexican promoter Rafael Mendoza.

Larios flew in from Japan at 133 lbs which is above the fight limit of 130 lbs. But Mendoza said there shouldn’t be any problem since Larios has trained tremendously for the fight.

"The weight is not an issue. For two years he had no problem at 122 lbs. Do you think he’ll have a problem at 130? Even if the weigh-in is tomorrow, he’ll make it," Mendoza said.

A couple of Filipino scribes were allowed inside the cozy suite for a 15-minute interview with the Mexican visitors. Mendoza acted as Larios’ interpreter.

"I’m ready now. I’m just waiting for the day of the fight," said the 29-year-old Larios.

In the sport for 50 years now, Mendoza said Larios, a former two-time world champion, means business. He is being paid a hefty $450,000 to fight the Filipino knockout artist.

Larios’ business here is to stop Pacquiao.

"Oscar is no longer here to impress the press or give interviews. He’s here to beat Pacquiao," said Mendoza of his fighter who logged 90 rounds of sparring — 40 in Guadalajara and the rest in Japan.

Mendoza also said they don’t care about the odds, which placed Pacquiao as the overwhelming favorite. A bet of P1,000, according to the latest odds, would win you no more than P600.

"We don’t care about the odds. Manny Pacquiao was at 12-1 (underdog) when he fought (Marco Antonio) Barrera but he knocked Barrerra out.

"There’s no guarantee in boxing. I’ve handled 18 different champions and it’s very difficult to make a guarantee. Anything can happen: a broken wrist, a broken jaw or a cut.

"It’s quite normal to predict that Manny Pacquiao is the favorite. But that does not guarantee anything. I’m not confident but I’m not worried," Mendoza continued.

Under an afternoon drizzle, Larios arrived in the country yesterday and from the airport was brought straight to Discovery Suites, a very private and elegant hotel in Ortigas.

Larios was last to step out of a tinted van that was trailed by a mobile patrol. He came in with trainer Edison Reynoso and a handful more team members.

Larios, who will face Manny Pacquiao on July 2 at the Araneta Coliseum, spent no more than five minutes at the lobby before being escorted to his 12th floor suite.

Pacquiao returned to Manila yesterday afternoon after spending a day off with his family in Gen. Santos City. He left for his hometown Saturday afternoon.

Any day from now, Pacquiao will move to the Discovery Suites, the fight’s official residence. As fight sponsor, the hotel has allotted 40 of its 225 rooms in a P5 million package.

Pacquiao and Larios will figure in a public workout at the Big Dome today starting at 11 a.m. Once it’s over, Larios will train for an hour or two at the Big Dome.

The final presscon is set Thursday and the official weigh-in on Saturday at Discovery Suites.

For the next five days, Larios will train at an unspecified venue. Mendoza said they have five choices, but added "I’m not gonna tell you where."