MANILA, Philippines ? When Bob Arum was told to look at a few pictures of a fighter in training, the Hall of Fame promoter?s eyes almost popped out.
?I thought it was a different person,? Arum said yesterday from Los Angeles, stressing that he had to look closely to make sure it was the same guy his staff said was on the picture.
The guy on the photo was no other than Mexican counter-puncher Juan Manuel Marquez, who has been training diligently in Mexico City and in the mystical mountains of Toluca the past several weeks for the Nov. 12 rubber match with Manny Pacquiao.
Arum said Top Rank is releasing Marquez?s pictures to the media anytime this week so members of the press can have a look at how the Mexican has been transformed.
With still four weeks before the scheduled 12-round world welterweight title match at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas against Pacquiao, Marquez is expected to be really ready for the encounter.
?Marquez?s muscles are so big,? said Arum, his voice slightly taking a high tone.
Arum said two new members of Marquez?s training team ? a conditioning coach and dietitian ? have obviously been doing their jobs in whipping the 38-year-old fighter into shape for the biggest bout of his illustrious 18-year career.
?They?re making him strong for this fight because he has to be very strong for Pacquiao,? said Arum.
While camping out in Los Angeles, Arum said he twice checked on the progress of the 32-year-old Pacquiao?s preparations at the Wild Card in Hollywood.
?I haven?t really seen anything like it,? added Arum, who saw Pacquiao go 10 rounds in sparring on Saturday and eight rounds last Thursday.
Even at 79 years of age and a veteran of 46 years of promoting the biggest ring battles, Arum couldn?t help but gasp at the sight of Pacquiao sweating it out.
