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ALEX ARIZA: "MARQUEZ IS GOING TO GET WRECKED...MANNY'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT FIGHTER"

By Ben Thompson | August 24, 2011
ALEX ARIZA:

"Marquez is going to get wrecked. Like I said, he [Koncz] doesn't know anything. I don't think it's all about that. Those are fights that Manny had when I wasn't with him, you know? He had a lot of those ailments. He had a lot of leg problems, he had shoulder problems. Those are all things that kind of hindered him in those fights with Barrera and Marquez, the last one. Obviously the weight was an issue, so we're not going to have those issues for this fight. He had to make moves and adjustments because of his legs, so he won't have to make those. He'll be able to use the angles that he wants to use if he wants to use them. If he wants to go in and just go toe to toe and knock this dude out early, he'll be able to do that. He'll have the strength and the power to do that as well. Manny's a whole different fighter than back in those days. As far as Marquez having his number or this is going to be controversial, shut up," stated strength and conditioning Alex Ariza, who talked about Manny Pacquiao's long-awaited third showdown with Juan Manuel Marquez. In two weeks, Ariza will be arriving in the Philippines to officially kick off training camp. Check out what else he had to say about training camp for Marquez, Zab Judah's desire for a rematch against Amir Khan, and much more.

BT: When are you heading to the Philippines? Are you going on the press conference tour?

AA: I usually don't go on those things just because of Michael Koncz, but I usually end up in the Philippines about a week or so before Freddie gets there, so I think I'll be there on the 7th [of September].

BT: That's right around the corner.

AA: Yeah. But it's okay because [Jorge] Linares is supposed to be on the next flight to the Philippines, so I'll still be able to work with him over there. I got Amir [Khan] ready for [Marcos] Maidana in the Philippines. It served really well for us; I thought it did. It's a good place. I like the Philippines for camp a lot. I like it a lot. Where we stay, it's called the Cooyeesan Hotel. His camp is inside the hotel. My room is a few rooms down from Manny's, so I don't have the same problems there that I have here in LA, you know, because our houses are so far apart, the traveling, and this and that, and waking him up, or being able to supervise his eating, because I can't sit at his apartment all day. So for me over there, to get Manny ready for a fight is a lot better; it's a lot more efficient. The only downside is that I have to leave whoever I'm working with over here.

BT: Damn, that's pretty convenient.

AA: That's it. Training is about convenience. We have everything there. Freddie bought all the stuff years ago during the Cotto camp. All of our training equipment, our conditioning equipment, we had it all shipped up there, so we have all that stuff there and it's just easy to just get up, knock on the door, and go right downstairs and get to it.

BT: Now you guys are fighting at 144, right?

AA: Yes, 144.

BT: Is that going to impact some of the stuff you do with Manny as far as putting on the extra weight to deal with fighting some of the bigger guys. Is this camp going to be any different than some of his more recent camps?

AA: I don't think so. I think, you know, we probably won't have to push as many calories. We won't have to sit there and focus on all of that as much because Manny still comes in, you know, you're really talking about a 2 pound difference that he normally comes in. He'll come in around 144; maybe even 143 or 144 on the dot, so it'll be a lot easier because you don't have to constantly focus on calories, calories, calories, calories, calories. Hopefully he'll be able to not only have a regular kind of diet, but also have more recovery time that we haven't had in the past. I think this is...ccatchweights are...nobody says Marquez has to come in at 144. Come in at 140 if you feel you're good at 140. I mean, we've had fights that we had to be...we fought at 151 against Margarito and Manny came in at 144. I mean, nobody says that you gotta come in at the weight. Everybody complains, "Oh, you're taking him too high." Well don't fucking come in that high. You don't have to. If you feel good at 140, come in at 140. If you feel good at 138, come in at 138. Come in at the weight you feel good at.

BT: I saw a picture of Marquez recently and he already looks ripped. He looks like he's been training already for this.

AA: Probably. You know, this is his shot. I mean, you know, Koncz, if he knew the difference between shit and wild honey, then he would know that this isn't going to be, "styles make fights and he's got Manny's number." He's out of his fucking mind.

BT: (Laughing) Yeah, I'm predicting Marquez to get wrecked.

AA: Marquez is going to get wrecked. Like I said, he [Koncz] doesn't know anything. I don't think it's all about that. Those are fights that Manny had when I wasn't with him, you know? He had a lot of those ailments. He had a lot of leg problems, he had shoulder problems. Those are all things that kind of hindered him in those fights with Barrera and Marquez, the last one. Obviously the weight was an issue, so we're not going to have those issues for this fight. He had to make moves and adjustments because of his legs, so he won't have to make those. He'll be able to use the angles that he wants to use if he wants to use them. If he wants to go in and just go toe to toe and knock this dude out early, he'll be able to do that. He'll have the strength and the power to do that as well. Manny's a whole different fighter than back in those days. As far as Marquez having his number or this is going to be controversial, shut up!

BT: Dude, 5 rounds tops I think. That's my prediction.

AA: I say the same thing; maximum. And you know what? That's going to also be due to, a big part, because of Marquez. Regardless, if you catch him, he's going to come to fight, you know? He's not going to run.

BT: You're right. On top of that, I think the wars are just catching up with him. I mean, Floyd dropped him with a left, Katsidis dropped him with a left, and Manny's already dropped him 4 times before that, so I don't know what the hell he's going to do now that he's fighting Manny again at a much higher weight.

AA: Yeah, well Manny, I tell ya, he's not the same fighter when they fought last time. He's a different fighter, he's a well-rounded fighter, he's a conditioned, strong, explosive fighter and it's not going to be the same. You know, it's unfortunate because Freddie had the right game plan. It's just that Manny wasn't prepared physically for it, to do what he wanted him to do. So Freddie will have the right game plan and this time, we'll have the physical preparation and conditioning to execute exactly what he wanted and Manny won't fall behind.

BT: Did you hear that Zab Judah filed a protest with the WBO, complaining about the phantom low blow? He wants a rematch with Khan?

AA: Really? He wants a rematch?

BT: Yeah. Can you believe that?

AA: Not really.

BT: I swear bro. He seriously filed a protest.

AA: Will they give it to him?

BT: I mean, the WBO might sanction it, but that don't mean he's going to get it. Seems to me like he's just trying to piggyback off of that Agbeko-Mares controversy, hoping they can get a rematch sanctioned like those guys did. I mean, how many weeks ago was the Khan-Judah fight? And he's just now filing a protest? Get the fuck outta here with that.

AA: Yeah, he was on his way to getting knocked out anyway. I mean, he was bleeding already pretty bad in the first round. That's why he quit. It just got tough in there and he wanted out. Go fight Maidana.

BT: (Laughing) That's not a bad idea, but I doubt he wants that.

AA: He's not going to get anything from Amir right now. There's no motivation to train for Zab. Just forget it and move on. He looked good though; physically he looked good.

BT: Yeah, Evander Holyfield looks good too, but he obviously ain't the same fighter either.

AA: I know. That's what I told Amir because Amir said the same thing. He goes, "God damn dude, he's fucking buff." I go, "Muscles don't win fights bro, don't worry. Trust me. Muscles don't win fights." They look good, but they don't do shit for you.



[ Follow Ben Thompson on Twitter @fighthype ]

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