Kimmel, Steroids Come Up On Pacquiao Conference Call…WOODS

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Jimmy Kimmel appearances, steroid usage and Manny Pacquiao’s desire level came up during a Wednesday afternoon conference call to hype the Nov. 12 Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez showdown.

Promoter Bob Arum kicked things off on the call. Arum said Pacquiao will appear on the Jimmy Kimmel show on Thursday, and that Piers Morgan will show a Manny/Freddie segment soon. “He’s a man who brings a new image to boxing, the pound for pound best fighter in boxing,” Arum said of Pacquiao.

Pacquiao said he truly is amped for this third fight mostly because Marquez has said he was robbed in the first to, when he was awarded a draw and a loss.

The audio coming from Pacquiao and Roach, speaking through their cell phones, wasn’t stellar. I had a lot of trouble understanding both men.

Pacquiao was asked if it was important for him to knock out Marquez. “If the knockout will come, it will come,” he said.

Has Marquez changed since the last fight? Roach says he’s gotten a bit more offensive, and that works in Manny’s favor.

Roach was asked about Marquez’ physique, which looks more muscular than we’ve seen. I had trouble hearing the response. He could have touched on the fact that there’s been a flap about Marquez’ strength and conditioning coach, who goes by the name Angel Hernandez, but apparently when going by the name Angel Heredia, was involved in a steroid scandal, but from what I could hear, he didn’t go there.

Arum touched on the subject. He said the press should stop dealing in generalities.   Arum said that if indeed Hernandez/Heredia did deal in steroids, that was in the past, and that today, fighters can use legal supplements and get the same upside without the downside. Arum said S & G coaches don’t have to and probably are not using illegal supplements. “The steroid problem is fading into the past,” Arum said.

Roach said he’s never seen Manny as motivated as he’s been in this training camp, as he’s so keen to show Marquez that he is the superior talent of the two.

Pacquiao was asked about the Kimmel appearance. He said he’d be interviewed, but didn’t let slip if he’d sing, or whether Will Ferrell would show up.

Pacquiao said legal distractions, and gossip column items about his romantic life and such, don’t get in the way of him preparing for a fight. Arum said that much of the salacious stuff is “blown up” and isn’t really a “blip on anybody’s radar as far as Manny’s preparation.”  Roach said once he comes to the gym, Manny is fully focused on boxing. The Kimmel type stuff is fun for Manny, he said.

Pacquiao said he thinks Marquez’ style will make for an exciting bout, as opposed to his two outings, against Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley, which had a dearth of drama.

Arum was asked about the Manny-Freddie relationship. He termed it “unique.” These two are more like equals, as opposed to say Ali-Dundee in later years.

Pacquiao thanks Arum and “all the listeners” for taking part and promised a good fight on Nov. 12.