Roach: Everything is all set

MANILA, Philippines - Manny Pacquiao is being told to flex just enough muscles three weeks heading to his comeback fight against Mexican-American Jessie Vargas in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao sparred 10 rounds and did six rounds with the mitts last Saturday, according to his chief trainer, Freddie Roach.

“That was the agreement – 10 rounds of sparring and six rounds with the mitts,” said Roach yesterday at the lobby of Hotel 101 where he’s billeted.

No more. No less.

Pacquiao, a certified workaholic, always begs for more in training and often gets away with a couple of rounds here and there.

The eight-division champion loves to tease Roach by saying that the celebrated trainer can no longer “pull the trigger.”

“His condition is great already. We don’t have to worry about that,” Roach told The STAR.

Like Pacquiao, the trainer of champions, shook off any concern about the 37-year-old superstar suffering from leg cramps during training last week.

“I had a local doctor look at him yesterday,” said Roach.

“He has a sports medicine doctor here. He fixed him up really good. Everything is all set. No worries,” added Pacquiao’s trainer.

Pacquiao is wrapping up his training at the Elorde Gym near Mall of Asia and is scheduled to fly to Los Angeles on Oct. 22 for another week of training.

Based on tradition, he spars for the last time on the Friday of fight week and then motors to Las Vegas with his team members, family and a hundred more friends.

Fight week officially begins with undercard workouts on Oct. 31 at the Top Rank Gym on Business Lane just off the famous Strip of Las Vegas.

Then at noon of Tuesday, Pacquiao and Vargas will be formally welcomed at the South Valet Entrance of the Wynn Hotel, the fight’s official residence.

A few more things are lined up, including the final press conference on Nov. 2, roundtables with the trainers and undercard press conference on Nov. 3.

Nonito Donaire heads the undercard, staking his WBO super-bantanweight crown against Jessie Magdaleno of Las Vegas.

On Nov. 4, the official weigh-in takes place at the Encore Theater of Wynn, where the main fighters, Pacquiao and Vargas, will tip the scales at 3:15 p.m.