Manny Pacquiao to train in the Philippines for Cotto fight

With his trainer getting restless and his opponent deep into his own training, Manny Pacquiao has made up his mind: He'll train in Baguio City, despite Freddie Roach's protests that he doesn't think Manny should train in the Philippines.

Pacquiao won't train in the U.S. at all, with the reasoning there being he can only spend a very limited time in the States for the rest of the year or the IRS will come a-callin'. Roach wanted to train in Mexico, as he feels Pacquiao will be too easily distracted at home.

Freddie seems really disappointed by the decision:

With 10 weeks to go before the fight, Pacquiao said he will set up training camp in Baguio once he arrives from the five-city press/publicity tour that kicks off at Yankee Stadium in New York on September 10. There’ll be similar events lined up in Caguas in Puerto Rico, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego.

Pacquiao expects to be back by September 17 or 18 and will immediately motor to Baguio to begin working out, hopefully, with Roach already in town.

Roach had initially opposed the Baguio training camp, saying they won’t be able to train in utmost concentration there what with regular visits of Pacquiao fans.

Still, Roach said he will do his darn best to whip Pacquiao into fiery form in time for the 12-round welterweight war with Cotto.

“I will just do the best that I can,” said Roach, obviously disappointed over Pacquiao’s decision to pick Baguio over the high-altitude and rough terrain of Toluca, Mexico.

I think a couple things are happening with Pacquiao right now. First off, some members of his team are simply yes men, and they have been accused by Roach and promoter Bob Arum of not knowing what they're doing. Manny has had troubles in negotiations for three fights now, though some of it is simply Manny getting what he feels is right.

The other is that Freddie Roach is kind of having to swallow some pride, it seems, and remember that he works for Manny, not the other way around. Freddie has become a big star training Pacquiao, as he often serves as Manny's mouthpiece for American TV. He's become a celebrity. But Pacquiao is his "meal ticket."

They are a classic trainer-fighter team, and they need each other. I do hope they remember that for as long as Manny's fighting, but every fight it seems like they're getting closer to a blow-up.