Pacquiao to start training in August

World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao will have to begin training sometime in August to prepare himself for his next bout in November possibly against Floyd Mayweather Jr..

Pacquiao’s conditioning coach told Keiran Muvaney of ESPN and Reuters they would need to bulk up the Filipino to condition him in time for the fight.

Ariza said they plan to bulk up Pacquiao to 153 pounds until a few days before the November 13 fight. The Filipino boxer normally weighs 145 pounds.

Ariza said Pacquiao will concentrate on speed work during the final two weeks leading to the fight, so when he drops back to the 147-pound weight limit, the Filipino fighter will feel lighter and faster.

A training camp starting in August also means that Pacquiao, recently elected as Sarangani congressman, will only have one month to spend on his congressional duties before he starts training. The Filipino boxer-congressman will be sworn into office on June 30.

Pacquiao-Mayweather negotiation

Pacquiao’s handler, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, has penciled the 7-division champ for a November 13 fight date.

Arum is currently working on forging a mega-fight between Pacquiao and undefeated former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr., a match many fans are waiting to see.

Boxing observers said the current silence on the Pacquiao-Mayweather talks is a good sign.

“Publicly, all is quiet on the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. front. That's a good thing, as far as I can tell,” said ESPN.com’s Dan Rafael in his blog.

HBO boxing commentator Larry Merchant earlier hinted that a deal between Pacquiao and Mayweather was close to being done.

"Yes, I do believe it is going to happen in November. What exclusively I have heard, I cannot reveal entirely,but I think most of the issues have been resolved. It does not mean they won't find something else," Merchant said in a report posted on Examiner.com.

Cotto-Pacquiao II still possible

Arum said that if the Mayweather fight does not push through, there is a possibility for a Pacquiao-Cotto Part 2.

Arum told PhilBoxing.com’s Ronnie Nathanielsz that if Miguel Cotto wins in his World Boxing Association (WBA) junior middleweight clash with champion Yuri Foreman, Pacquiao might again find interest in facing the Puerto Rican boxing star.

“Arum indicated that Pacquiao, who has won 7 world titles in 7 weight divisions, might wish to cement his place in history even further by winning an 8th world title,” Nathanielsz said in his report.

Pacquiao defeated Cotto last November to win the WBO welterweight title.