By Manuel Perez: Well, it looks like Manny Pacquiao is being diverted from his boxing training by outside activities in Baguio, and it appears to be angering his trainer Freddie Roach. According to The Tribune, Pacquiao missed a practice session in the morning after staying up Wednesday evening late playing basketball with some friends of his. Man, I knew this was going to happen as soon as it was announced that Pacquiao wanted to train in the Philippines, a place where he’s treated like royalty.

It looks like Pacquiao got worked over on Thursday morning by sparring partner Shawn Porter, according to reports. But I don’t honestly think Pacquiao’s harmless “10 games” of basketball on Wednesday night as the reason for Pacquiao struggling against fast puncher like Porter. Pacquiao had problems against Porter because the guy can flat out fight. He’s a lot like Cotto.

He’s got talent, size and speed. It’s no wonder Pacquiao is having problems against him. This is actually a good thing. Roach can now clamp down on Pacquiao, or at least try to, and cut off his outside exploits and try to get him to focus on his training. God knows, Pacquiao is going to need it for Cotto.

I just don’t want to hear the excuses afterwards when Cotto beats Pacquiao, where his fans might start with the excuses that Pacquiao didn’t train properly because he was having a good time in training camp playing too much basketball on the side. I don’t even know how Roach even lets Pacquiao get away with playing basketball during training camp. That’s dangerous. Pacquiao could easily turn an ankle, drip and injure knee or hand on the basketball court.

Pacquiao might as well be skydiving or riding a motorcycle because basketball is about as dangerous a sport. If I was Pacquiao’s trainer, I’d boot out all his sycophants, send them packing their bags and read Pacquiao the riot act. And if he gave me any lip, I’d take the first plane out of the Philippines and let Bob Arum or Pacquiao’s friends train him.

I wouldn’t go for having Pacquiao call the shots. It’s about respect. But I knew this was going to happen. It’s going to be very interesting to see what happens next. Will Pacquiao follow along and play or nice with Roach or will he basically do what he wants and ignore the old Nostradamus? I’d take out a newspaper and start swatting Pacquiao if I was his trainer and he started talking back to me or giving me a dirty look. He’d learn not to mess with the boss.

In a sign that I would determine to be weakness, Roach has this to say about Pacquiao’s basketball: “If he could do it on a Sunday, that’s okay.”

What? Okay? You got to be kidding me, Roach. I’d be on Pacquiao like no tomorrow. Forget about his basketball. Let him do that after the training camp is done. Roach can’t show weakness. You got to be tough, make Pacquiao cringe. Cut Pacquiao off at the knees with his basketball, phone calls, friends and whatever. Roach has got to get primitive with this guy otherwise the training camp will turn into a picnic for Pacquiao.

I’m cool with that, but like I said, I don’t excuses coming from Pacquiao and his gang when he loses to Cotto. The dude has got to be trained right and that starts with putting him in his place and showing him who’s the boss. With me, Pacquiao would know who the boss is from day one.

I’d have him toeing the line or else I’d be out there so quick his head would be spinning. Pacquiao would have to beg for me to come back because I wouldn’t do it unless some serious groveling was done by Pacquiao. Roach needs to toughen up his camp and get medieval.