Clottey is a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) welterweight champion and a very sturdy welterweight who has a size advantage and power to upset the Filipino Superstar.

Meanwhile, Coach Freddie also talked about the current status and progress in Pacquiao’s training camp.

“He has sparred twice, he looks really good, he knocked out one sparring partner and we have four other sparring partners in here at the moment.”

Manny Pacquiao’s diet and conditioning Guru Alex Ariza added that PacMan is “very sharp and looks like he’ll be ready to fight next week.”

Manny showed us that he is very well-prepared and 100% ready against this tough Puerto Rican Welterweight Champion. “I can’t wait for the fight,” declared the reigning pound-for-pound champion as he limbered up, with mediamen lining up three sides of the ring.

“Training was good. I don’t think I was even distracted during the camp,” he also added. It was when asked about the tension – including the series of calamities that occurred when he first began training camp in Baguio City, Philippines.

Manny had eight weeks of hard work and intense training as he prepares one of the toughest fights on his entire career.

“This is a huge fight for me. This is a big fight. Because if I win I become the first boxer to capture seven titles in seven weight divisions,” he said.

The pound-for-pound king acknowledges that his speed is the main weapon he has against Cotto. And believe that he has also power to neutralize the size advantage of the Puerto Rican boxer.

“Kahit tumagal ang fight wala ako problema (Even if the fight lasts long I won’t have a problem),” said Pacquiao, even if his chief trainer Freddie Roach had predicted a knockout that could come in the first round or at most the 10th.

Pacquiao denies the allegation for having a personal conflict between him and his chief trainer Roach. He said that there’s no rift between him and his trainer and in fact, they’d finalize the training schedule during the fight’s press tour next week.

Meanwhile, assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez is now up in Baguio to check the facilities there for them to start training maybe next week. Baguio is Philippines’ summer capital, chilly most of the year, around 150 miles north of Manila and 1,500 meters above sea level.

Earlier, Freddie Roach had been opposed to Pacquiao training in the country, that too many distractions might hinder the concentration of his prize fighter as the training goes on. Roach wants Manny to train in Toluca, Mexico, instead. Other options will be in Vancouver but in the end its Pacquiao personal choice to hold his initial training in Baguio for the Nov. 14 title fight with Cotto.

The Filipino then resumes his training in the U.S three weeks before the fight.

Pacquiao said he will discuss things with Roach when they hook up next week for the press tour in New York, Puerto Rico, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. He already expected the three-time Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach along with conditioning coach Alex Ariza and three sparring partners to come along with him as he will arrived here from the U.S tour.

Many Filipinos now are starting to get worry thinking him for being overconfident and too relax. But the 30-year old top pound-for-pound fighter today assured Roach and his hordes of Filipino fans that everything is going to be fine once he enters training camp.

“I understand our countrymen or my fans feeling worried about my training. I want to assure them that I’m not taking it for granted. I know myself. I know that eight weeks should do it,” he added.

During today’s weigh-in, “The Filipino Flash” Nonito Donaire Jr., of the Philippines weighs in at 115 lb while his opponent Rafael “El Torito” Concepcion of Panama came in over weight at 119.5 lb. The extra 4 lbs makes this fight a non-title bout that the WBA interim world Super Flyweight is not likely at stake.

Despite of their weigh-in controversies, Donaire still wants this fight to prove each one of us that he can bring his speed and power in heavier weight class. Nonito said he is definitely going for a knockout but if the complexion of the fight leans toward a war of attrition, a win by decision will be just as fulfilling. The Filipino warrior revealed that the fight against Concepcion is not an easy task because he (Concepcion) is a great body puncher and has a heart too but Nonito is very confident to dethrone the Panamanian tomorrow.

“I feel good,” said Donaire on the eve of the weigh-in for the bout. “My weight’s good and I’ve trained really hard. With my new training, I feel I’ve gained more muscle mass so it feels like I’m still going down to 112. I do feel a lot better at 115. Definitely, the extra three pounds are a big help. I’m really confident. I’m out to use my speed and power to take care of business.”

Meanwhile, fellow Filipino boxer’s Bernabe Concepcion and Mark Jason Melligen will also take an action as an undercard on Pinoy Power 2 against their respective opponents. Bernabe Concepcion tries to upset the WBO Featherweight champion Steven Luevano while Mark Jason Melligen will do battle against Ernesto Zepeda in a 10-round welterweight war.

They later stretched the lead to 27 points at halftime 44-17 score. RP coach Yeng Guiao told his players not to put their game on a show but to play basic basketball game for them to win against powerhouse team China.

In the 2nd half, Powerade Team Pilipinas played their game seriously which they scored a thunderous 42 points in the 3rd quarter alone. Give credit to Arwind Santos as he hit several three point shots as the game continues.

Meanwhile, Jared Dillinger led RP with 21 points, Arwind Santos had 16 and Asi Taulava, Aguilar and Cyrus Baguio each had 15 in the win which coach Yeng Guiao described as a “good way to prepare against Japan and Korea.”

Coach Yeng Guiao was very impressed on his player’s performance. “The real test for us is Japan and Korea. We’re looking forward to playing against them in the next two days,” said Guiao.

The Nationals schedule to clash with the Japanese tomorrow (Friday) at 9 p.m PST.

The scores:

Team Pilipinas 115 – Dillinger 21, Santos 16, Taulava 15, Aguilar 15, Baguio 15, Thoss 11, Norwood 8, Helterbrand 5, Miller 5, Raymundo 4, Pennisi 0.

Sri Lanka 31 – Rajapakshe 8, Fernando 8, Danawansa 7, Senanayake 4, De Silva 2, Perera 2.

Quarterscores: 28-9; 44-17; 86-26; 115-31.

In college, before he went to the United States, he played for the Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines in 2004. However, his first season stint was cut short due to appendicitis.

Japeth bounced back from a disappointing first season on his sophomore year as he averaged 5.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocked shots per contest to help lead the Blue Eagles to an 11-5 finish in 2005. He got a high 55.4 percent shot from the field for the season and he was credited with multiple blocks in 12 of the Blue Eagles’ 16 games that included a career high of seven as well as two other contest with five or more.

On his junior year, Japeth transferred to Western Kentucky University, where he is currently seeing action with the Hilltoppers in the NCAA. He was able to post eight points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots, three assists and two steals in just 32 minutes of action in 2 games, before being sidelined by injury.

Recently, Aguilar is a member of the Philippine National Team, the Powerade Team Pilipinas campaigning for the FIBA Asia as it, the team attempts to qualify for the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

Recently, Pacquiao lawyer Franklin Gacal also said that “a premium” would likely carry Manny to accommodate Cotto’s request that the scheduled 12-rounder be fought at 145 lbs. It had originally been planned that Pacquiao, Koncz and Gacal would fly to Los Angeles but Koncz said there would be no more need for such a tiring and costly trip since Pacquiao has already agreed.

“Bob is expected to make an announcement about this fight within the week,” said Koncz. Arum is coming off a three-week vacation in Europe. Meanwhile, Manny’s itinerary in the coming days and weeks remains tight owing to his showbiz commitments.

The Nationals started strong in the few minutes of first quarter and only trailed by two points 17-15 at the end of this quarter. It has been a very close game until Jordanian’s 6-4 point guard Rasheim Wright started to play a tremendous game in both offense and defense by cutting the Nationals’ defense in shreds, setting screens that set up their outside shots clearly breaking Team Pilipinas’ man-to-man defense.

He was the same player who terrorized Chot Reyes’ RP team during the 24th FIBA Asia Olympic qualifier in Tokushima, Japan two years ago. It ended the Philippines’ bid of qualifying in the 2008 Beijing Olympics following an 84-76 victory in the preliminary round of the 24th FIBA Asia Men’s Championship.

Powerade Team Pilipinas players have difficulty to set up their momentum in this game. They trailed by as many as 79-45 halfway into the fourth quarter.

“We have to learn how to beat this team if we hope to make the Turkey tournament (World Championship),” said RP team coach Yeng Guiao, who hinted of a major adjustment when the team returns.

In other opening day games, Lebanon, with the veteran Fadih El-Khatib outscored Taiwan-B, 93-61, while South Korea, which is bracketed with the Philippines, Japan and Sri Lanka in Group A in the FIBA Asia tournament, edged Kazakhstan, 75-73, despite getting out rebounded by 42-32.

“This game could have gone either way. Both teams played well kaya kahit sino deserving manalo,” said San Miguel head coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“To be honest, we’re not getting any breaks from the referees,” said an obviously disgusted San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen. “Ganun talaga pag kalaban mo ang Ginebra. I’m not taking anything away from them, but that’s the reality and we have to deal with it.”

“We just gave up too many offensive rebounds,” said Gin Kings coach Jong Uichico, who 22 points each from Noel and Jayjay Helterbrand.

Game 5 will be played on Monday after the league decided to take a two-day playing date break because of the unavailability of the Big Dome. No games will be played on their normal schedule on Friday and Sunday. If the series stretches into a Game 6 and 7, both these matches will be played on July 15 and July 17, respectively, at Araneta Coliseum.

Former President Erap Estrada has intimidated his desire to have Pacquiao in his camp for the upcoming 2010 elections following their meeting in General Santos on the past 2 weeks. Even former US President Bill Clinton admired and had photographed beside Manny in Las Vegas hours before Pacquiao knocked Ricky Hatton out on their May 3 fight.

On June 14, Manny was crowned “fighter of the year” again by the American Boxing Sportswriters Association in New York. According to Forbes, Pacquiao take $40 million in the last 12 months. He now stands alongside 2009 NBA MVP LeBron James and American golfer Phil Mickelson.

Having that huge amount of money, at his age of 30, would be a more than enough reason to call it a day. He becomes successful as a boxer and still hopes to become a future Congressman in 2010 to serve his countrymen. Wishing you luck Manny and hope your dreams will come true!