TRINKLED

Valero says Pacmans climb in weight a sign of greatness

By DENNIS GASGONIA
WBA super featherweight champion Edwin Valero, who has been hounding boxing icon Manny Pacquiao for a fight, described the Filipino's climb in weight as a "sign of greatness."
In an interview with boxing writer Kieran Mulvaney for ESPN.com, Valero said that this has made Pacquiao something "special."
"Its a sign of greatness. Pacquiaos a phenomenon. Doing something like that is almost unheard of. Its like Oscar De La Hoya. He started at 130 and was fighting for titles at 160. Thats something special. Pacquiao is special," he was quoted as saying.
After capturing the WBC 130-pound division title from Juan Manuel Marquez, Pacquiao challenges 135-pound division king David Diaz for a fight on June 28.
Prior to that, Pacquiao fought at 112 pounds to win the WBC flyweight crown and went up to 122 pounds to snatch IBF super bantamweight title. He started fighting at 106 pounds as a light flyweight.
Valero believes that Pacquiao "can go all the way up to welterweight. He's special and he has that thing about him."
The Filipino himself believes he really needs to go up in weight since he is still a "growing boy."
"I am still growing," he told Mulvaney, "I am a growing boy."
Skeptics earlier ponder on the effects of Pacquiaos move to lightweight, saying that this might affect his punching power.
Pacquiao, however, believe that the added pounds will not be much of a factor when he faces Diaz on June 28.
"Moving up in weight is not a problem for me because I will maintain my speed and power," the heavy-hitting Filipino told boxing news Web site FightFan.com.
To this, WBO bantamweight king and Pacquiao friend Gerry Peñalosa, agreed.
"At sparring I usually see him in LA weighing 145. He moves good at 145, so how much more at 135?" said Peñalosa in an interview over Manila based radio station dzSR.
Peñalosa has been training alongside with Pacquiao in the past at coach Freddie Roachs Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles A that is why he is familiar with his comrades regimen.
He added that Pacquiaos movement up in weight is in fact an advantage for his fellow Filipino.
"So at 135, I can see his power… because he didnt need to shed much weight, so his strength is still there and may even be increased," said Peñalosa. With a report from Philboxing.com