Pacquiao's determination amazes, worries trainer

QUEZON CITY, Philippines – As usual, Manny Pacquiao has been training so hard that it worries his staff, among them Alejandro Ariza, his Colombian strength and conditioning coach. Ariza has coached some of the best boxers, like Mexican Erik Morales, and he's amazed at Pacquiao's exceptional dedication, according to a report filed by Lei Alviz for Thursday's 24 Oras, GMA's early evening newscast. "Manny's such an exceptional athlete," Ariza said. "He's self-motivated, self-driven, and has such an incredible work rate that... it's one of those I haven't really seen... With Manny, you really have to watch him cause he's worked so hard and at such an incredible rate. Like I said, I'm afraid he might overtrain." What drives Pacquiao is not only the fact that he's fighting in a higher weight division for the very first time – and in bout that has the World Boxing Council lightweight title, held by Mexican-American David Diaz, at stake. "My inspiration is my family and the Filipino people – the honor," Pacquiao said in Filipino. "It's my honor to give honor to the country." It was coach Freddie Roach who got Ariza, an expert in exercise science, to give Pacquiao's training a more scientific approach. Pacquiao is generally acknowledged worldwide by boxing analysts as the top pound-for-pound fighter, now that welterweight Floyd Mayweather Jr. has retired. But Ariza thinks Pacquiao can even be better with a more "cutting-edge" conditioning. "Who know how good he'll really be?" Ariza said. Pacquiao, who's in Los Angeles for his training, will face Diaz on June 28 (June 29 in the Philippines) at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. - GMANews.TV