Manny Pacquiao has been preparing for weeks now for his welterweight showdown with Brandon Rios on November 24 at Venetian Macao in Macau, China. Bracing for perhaps the most important fight of his career, Pacquiao decides to hold his training camp in General Santos, outside the limelight and distraction of Metro Manila and Los Angeles.
But aside from the change in location, the Pacman is missing one key personnel in his corner. Strength and conditioning guru Alex Ariza is not anymore around. Worse, the disgruntled trainer has now found a new alliance in Robert Garcia, and yes, Pacman's next foe.
Ariza, who has been instrumental in Pacquiao's rise to the pound-for-pound kingship, shocked everybody around the boxing community following his decision to join Rios' camp. Sure, it may appear as a pure business decision on Ariza's part, but there's certainly a personal vendetta to be settled between the conditioning coach and his former prized fighter.