Dela Hoya looking good, but is he in peak form?

LOS ANGELES – Even Manny Pacquiao’s conditioning coach is quite impressed with Oscar dela Hoya’s appearance heading to the big match.

“He looks very good,” said Alex Ariza of boxing’s Golden Boy who is scheduled to lock horns with Pacquiao this Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Dela Hoya, who has fought as heavy as 160 pounds, is going down to 147 just to face Pacquiao, and some critics say this might not serve him well.

As early as weeks ago, Dela Hoya’s camp has been flaunting that the 35-year-old Olympic champion has been under 150 pounds.

Ariza, who once worked with the late champion Diego Corrales, said whoever is behind Dela Hoya’s conditioning program must be doing a very good job.

But he said what looks good on the outside may not mean the same on the inside.

“To look good is one thing but to be able to perform condition-wise is completely different,” he told scribes Sunday inside Pacquiao’s LA apartment.

Ariza is working his second fight with Pacquiao. He did well in the first, helping Pacquiao beat David Diaz in his debut at 135 pounds last June.

“Oscar looks very good whoever his person is, she’s doing a terrific job as far dieting. He looks very healthy, he looks like he’s been at that weight for a long time,” he said.

“Aesthetically, cosmetically, he looks well. Conditionally, it’s completely different. Aesthetically he looks fantastic — but his condition, I don’t know.”

Pacquiao looks just as good, with no problems with his weight and diet because he’s the one going up in weight.

With one week left, Pacquiao still enjoys full meals, a luxury he can no longer enjoy at 135 pounds.

“I know the method that they used which is a very smart and intelligent approach. But whether or not they did it right, we’ll see it on Saturday,” Ariza added.

“From sources that I know he’s been in the low 50s (150s) for five months, so the method was very intelligent, she’s very smart with what her (nutritionist) plan was.

“Physically, he (Dela Hoya) looks good. He does not look gaunt. He does not look emaciated. But again the condition remains to be seen,” Ariza added.

He must be keeping his fingers crossed.   – Abac Cordero