Pacquiao focuses on hand speed

BAGUIO CITY—Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao will focus on regaining his old speed in the final weeks of his training for his Nov. 13 title fight with Antonio Margarito in Arlington, Texas.

“Speed is my key,” Pacquiao told the Inquirer Sunday, noting that the concentration in the earlier part of his training “was on building up my body and my muscles so I would be strong.”

Pacquiao, who will be at his heaviest of 151 lbs against Margarito, said he concencrated on adding power but “it reduced my speed, which I am concentrating on now.”

Earlier in the day, Pacquiao practiced with his band after attending Mass in preparation for a concert in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, after his showdown against Margarito for the vacant WBC super welterweight title at the Cowboys Stadium.

Wife Jinkee was in the audience along with Top Rank promoter Bob Arun and stepdaughter Dena, who both danced when Pacquiao belted out some up tempo English and Tagalog songs to the delight of the crowd that gathered at the Cooyesan Meeting Hall.

Asked to comment on Margarito’s edge in height and reach, Pacquiao said: “Don’t worry there is always the body.”
Pacquiao stressed that he was “mentally focused and not worried that he is facing a much bigger opponent.”

He announced he is leaving for Los Angeles on Saturday but has not decided on whether to rent a special plane to fly his entourage, friends and journalists from the city to Dallas a few days before the fight against Margarito.

Ronnie Nathanielsz, Phil. Daily Inquirer