INQUIRER Sports

FILIPINO RING ICON MANNY PACQUIAO already looks impressive in training, but is admittedly far from his best form.

In his Philboxing column on Thursday, Pacquiao put himself at 70 percent ready to do battle with Miguel Cotto for the Puerto Rican’s World Boxing Organization welterweight crown on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

In his assessment, Pacquiao feels that he is peaking just right, with no weight problem whatsoever.

Those who saw Pacquiao spar with former two-time world champion Jose Luis Castillo in Baguio City for the first time on Tuesday swore that the pound-for-pound king dominated the three-round scrimmage.

Sticking to his original schedule, Pacquiao, along with chief trainer Freddie Roach, conditioning expert Alex Ariza and assistant coaches Buboy Fernandez, Dodie Boy Penalosa and Nonoy Neri, will leave for Los Angeles on Oct. 24.

Pacquiao, who is gunning for a record seventh world crown, including a lineal title, will train at Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Hollywood from Oct. 26 to Nov. 8 before heading for Las Vegas to wrap up his training.

Cotto has entered his eighth week of training at The Fight Factory Gym in Tampa, Florida.