Manny Pacquiao drew on a Biblical battle as the build-up ahead of his contest with Brandon Rios began with both camps alighting on the giant sprawling Venetian casino resort on the Cotai Strip, Macau, on Monday.

Pacquiao believes being the smaller man will not have a bearing on the outcome of this fight.

“Am I confident for my fight with Rios? I am more than confident. Rios is bigger than me. Remember Goliath was bigger than David and yet David needed just one stone to fell the giant," said Pacquiao as the two boxers began fight week in Macau.

"I enter this fight stronger than ever. I have the strength of my country and my people coursing through my body. I fight for them, not for me. I fight for their glory, not mine.”

Freddie Roach, Pacquiao's trainer, admitted last week that the tragedy and mayhem caused by Typhoon Haiyan had distracted the boxer last week, but that he was now mentally attuned.


"Manny’s last training session was nothing short of amazing. We were supposed to do six rounds on the mitts and I cut it off after four rounds. They were the best four rounds of mitts I have ever done with Manny. He was blazing. He was throwing the heat."
"This was the happiest and most productive camp I have had with Manny in years. I know I predicted that Manny would knock Rios out inside six rounds but based on our last workout, I don’t see how Rios makes it past the fourth round.”
Rios, a proud fighter who has built a career reputation on standing toe to toe, added that he had no fear of the Filipino: “I want to feel Manny’s power. I want to feel all of it.
"This is the first training camp I have kept to the game plan and done everything I was told to do. Manny Pacquiao is a big step. I am going to shut everyone up and prove I am the best. The second Alvarado fight was my bad."
"I was focused on knocking him out and that’s how I trained and fought, throwing one shot at a time trying to land that knockout punch.
"It was also the first time I ever lifted weights and by the third round I was slowing down. This time I am focusing on winning – not on the knockout – and Robert and his dad have designed a lot of ways for me to do that. My body clock has finally adjusted to Macau.
I slept until 7am and was in the gym before 9am. I know we are in Manny’s backyard and I want to win every round. I have trained not to give up a minute to Manny Pacquiao.”
That competitive instinct was echoed by Rios's trainer, Robert Garcia, who could not help having a quip at his rival trainer.
“Twice during the two episodes of “24/7” I’ve heard Freddie Roach say he will ask Manny Pacquiao to retire if he loses to Brandon Rios. Well, Freddie had better buy that gold watch for Manny, because the retirement party begins on Saturday night. I guarantee you this will be the last time you ever see Manny Pacquiao on an HBO Pay-Per-View.”