Come hell or high water, he stays in Baguio

MANILA, Philippines - Unless he comes up with another last-minute decision, Manny Pacquiao is staying put in Baguio City amid the threat of another super typhoon.

“There are no concerns yet that should force us to leave,” said Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, amid fears that another super typhoon might create more landslides or flooding in the area and leave Team Pacquiao stranded up there.

“In the first place there’s no guarantee yet that the typhoon is going to hit us,” said the Canadian national, adding that there’s no reason to be alarmed since Pacquiao is not scheduled to return to Manila until Thursday.

Pacquiao has been in the mountain summer capital since Sept. 20 and is set to train there four more days, including sparring days this Tuesday and Thursday, the day they are scheduled to drive back down to Manila.

The pound-for-pound champion plans to train in the Mandaluyong gym being operated by the Peñalosa brothers on Friday and Saturday. On the evening of Oct. 24, they all fly out to Los Angeles for two more weeks of training.

On the Monday of fight week, Team Pacquiao takes the four-hour ride to Las Vegas as he begins to taper off at the IBA Gym where he normally trains whenever he’s fighting in Sin City.

Koncz said so far that’s the schedule even if the rains started to fall yesterday in Baguio.

“Remember, Manny braved the storm for that food drive,” said Koncz, recalling that three weeks ago, at the onslaught of “Typhoon Pepeng,” Pacquiao took a five-hour trip to Manila just to help distribute relief goods to flood victims.

“So I guess we’re staying here,” said Koncz, adding that rushing the trip to Manila or Los Angeles is not being considered as of the moment.

Koncz said they got a call from Alex Oreto, an LA-based member of Team Pacquiao, saying the weather there has been quite different the past few days.

“We were told it’s been cold and raining in LA this week and the weather is not fine either. So, I think we’re better off battling the weather here than be in LA or Manila and get distracted with all his friends and visitors,” he said.

Meanwhile, word is out that veteran referee Kenny Bayless will be the third man on the ring when Pacquiao faces Cotto on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas. The judges will be Duane Ford, Dave Moretti, and Adelaide Byrd – all of Las Vegas.

It will be the fourth time Bayless will work a Pacquiao fight. – Abac Cordero