Pacquiao has Rios all figured out

MANILA, Philippines - Boxer Manny Pacquiao and trainer Freddie Roach have spent a lot of time in front of the TV set watching tapes of Brandon Rios’ recent fights.

For Pacquiao and Roach, it’s the movie of the week.

“He’s (Rios) a taller guy and we have been watching the tapes of his last 10 fights,” Roach told the international press the other day.

Rios at 5’8” is a couple of inches taller than Pacquiao, and at 27 is seven years younger than the Filipino superstar.

Roach said they’ve seen everything they want to see in Rios. He said they’re all set for the fight that takes place at noon of Nov. 24 in Macau.

“The more I see of Rios in the tapes the better I feel. He’s just a tough guy and tough guys don’t win fights. Manny can outbox him and he can do it with ease,” he said.

“We are 90 percent ready. We have the game plan down. We know how we are going to fight Brandon Rios,” added the 54-year-old trainer.

Pacquiao, who normally trains eight weeks for a fight or even less, has logged more time for this fight, which could be his last.

It’s been 11 months since Pacquiao last fought. The last time he did he ended up motionless on the floor after being knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez.

Pacquiao has thrown that loss behind and all that matters now for him is the fight against Rios, also his first outside the United States since 2006.

The fight is just around the corner and Top Rank has everything scheduled.

Fight week officially begins on Tuesday morning when the Media Center opens at the Venetian ballroom. The separate grand arrival for both boxers takes place at 9 and 9:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, the final press conference takes place at 9:30 p.m. (early morning in the United States). Roundtable discussions with Roach and Rios’ trainer, Robert Garcia, is set 10 a.m. Friday.

The official weigh-in is scheduled 7:30 a.m. of Saturday. The following day is the day of the fight. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. and Pacquiao vs Rios is scheduled to slug it out at high noon (primetime in the US).