Pacquiao vs Marquez: Alex Ariza Says Manny Is Not the Fighter He Was in 2008 (Video)

Strength and conditioning guru Alex Ariza spoke with Crystina Poncher about what has changed for Manny Pacquiao since he last met Juan Manuel Marquez back in 2008:

Ariza: "I think we've seen him be able to go up through the weight divisions with the same amount of speed that he had in the lower weight divisions. But he's a different fighter now. He's more athletic, he's able to execute the game plans the way Freddie wants him to. I wasn't with him in those earlier fights. So I think we've fixed the problems that he felt that he had, as far as his strength and his conditioning, and I think he's shown that as he's moved up through the divisions. ... I think that was the Manny of old and there's a new Manny now. He's a differently-trained Manny, his whole strength and conditioning program has changed. I think Marquez is obviously going to make it a fight, not like Mosley. If you hit Marquez, he's there to fight, and he'll come back even if you hit him, or if you knock him down. I suspect that we're gonna come in just tip-top and ready to fight."

Ariza says he was asked by Paqcuiao to come out on Monday to start working in the Philippines, as he was originally scheduled to go out on Saturday.