Roach, Ariza here; hard grind up for Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines - Freddie Roach arrived in Manila yesterday morning to make sure Manny Pacquiao isn’t taking things lightly.

“We’re not underestimating Shane Mosley,” Roach was quoted as saying upon his arrival from a gruelling 16-hour flight from Los Angeles.

Roach flew in with Pacquiao’s strength and conditioning coach, Alex Ariza, world light-welterweight champion Amir Khan, and the latter’s conditioning coach.

Ana Julaton, the Filipina WBO super-bantamweight champion, also arrived yesterday from a separate flight, just weeks after she defeated Franchesca Alcanter in California.

Roach will supervise Pacquiao’s training in the Philippines and will also look over Khan as he prepares for his April 14 bout with Paul McCloskey in England.

By the time Khan makes his defense, Pacquiao will be in Los Angeles for the final phase of his training for the Mosley fight.

Roach will join Khan for just a couple of days and then fly back to Los Angeles as quickly as he can to rejoin the Filipino pound-for-pound champion.

With less than two months before the fight, Pacquiao is just about to start his training. He’d been out on the road and in the gym for a day gearing up for Mosley.

He said last Saturday he isn’t taking the American lightly, and today one of his aides said Pacquiao plans to go out for a morning run outside his Brentville Subdivision home.

Pacquiao was at the GMA-7 headquarters in Quezon City as of presstime last night working on a TV show.

Roger Fernandez, a member of Team Pacquiao, said the Pinoy icon might take it to the gym on Thursday and Friday, prior to their scheduled trip to Baguio on Saturday.

But nothing is definite regarding the trip up north where Pacquiao will train for at least three weeks.

Roach, however, should be happy to see Pacquiao in Baguio, training, as soon as Monday.