By NICK GIONGCO
Manila, Philippines – As Brandon Rios waylays his sparring partners in Oxnard, California, Manny Pacquiao is silently doing the same thing in General Santos City, the Filipino fighter’s Canadian adviser said yesterday.
“Everything is going well and Manny’s been dominant in his sparring sessions,” said Mike Koncz, noting that while Irish Liam Vaughan, Ghanian Fredrick Lawson and Filipino Dan Nazareno have been providing quality work, they have never come close to ruffling Pacquiao’s feathers.
With less than six weeks to go before they get it on in Macau on Nov. 24, Pacquiao and Rios have been making lots of heads turn, making their scheduled 12-rounder a fistic treat among fight aficionados.
Koncz said that Pacquiao, who will be almost 35 years old by the time he meets Rios at the CotaiArena, hasn’t even gone full throttle.
“We still have six weeks and he’s pacing himself because the coming weeks will be very tough.”
Pacquiao is aiming to score a resounding victory against Rios, a 27-year-old Mexican-American who has got a chin made from granite and a pair of fists that can bring down thick walls.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is going to hold an open workout with media entities from Macau and Hong Kong flying in for the event.
Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum is also arriving to preside over the media event on Oct. 24 in General Santos City.
Team Pacquiao is tentatively set to leave for Macau on Nov. 18.