Oscar pounds the bag, Manny hits fairways

Manny Pacquiao is in no hurry getting started with his heavy training for the Oscar dela Hoya fight.

While the Golden Boy is already in Puerto Rico gearing up for the Dec. 6 fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the Filipino icon is in Gen. Santos City playing golf, golf, golf.

Dela Hoya, according to recent reports over the Internet, has been into running and light workouts in Puerto Rico since last week, but plans to move to Big Bear in October.

Big Bear, a mountain resort northeast of Los Angeles, is the favorite training camp of big-time fighter preparing for big fights. Dela Hoya will be there in October all the way to the fight.

Pacquiao, meanwhile, is enjoying himself with his latest craze.

He’s into golf daily, either at the driving range, hitting seven buckets (350 balls) each visit, or at the course itself, playing with hometown buddies like Bren Evangelio, his personal secretary.

“I like playing golf. I think it helps keep me in shape. And if I have time I still play basketball. I’m in shape,” he said in a recent chat although revealing he’s a little over 150 pounds.

Last Sunday, Pacquiao played a round at the Kalsangi Golf and Country Club in Polomolok, South Cotabato. Yesterday was the scheduled blessing of a two-storey commercial space to be rented out by the Pacquiaos in Gen. Santos City.

A month ago, while Pacquiao was in Manila, he played for four straight days at Wack Wack with friends like former Comelec chairman Ben Abalos, sportsman Hermie Esguerra and Eric Pineda.

Pacquiao plans to fly to Los Angeles on or before Sept. 15 to start training at the Wild Card Gym owned by Freddie Roach. By that time, he’d still have over 70 days to prepare.

“I think 10 or 12 weeks of training should be enough,” he said recently.

This should be the longest and toughest training camp for Pacquiao, and he sees no problem with his weight, even if he has to move up two divisions higher to meet Dela Hoya at 147 pounds.

If he can make 130 pounds against Juan Manuel Marquez last March and 135 pounds last June, there’s no reason he can’t make or at least come close to 147 pounds by December.