INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?Manny Pacquiao?s ?sharpest fight plan? just might include close-range body shots.

Eight weeks before his highly awaited clash with Oscar De La Hoya on Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the Filipino boxing superstar has been reported tooling his fists for a planned assault on the aging body of the taller and bigger American fighter.

Philboxing.com?s Dr. Ed De La Vega reported Saturday that Freddie Roach even pinned a large picture of a grinning De La Hoya on his body armor to motivate his ward to pound the target.

?You really got to give it to Freddie Roach,? wrote De La Vega. ?He sure knows when to ... encourage Manny Pacquiao to work as hard as he could, have lots of fun in doing it and escalate the media frenzy and fan interest in the Dream Match.?

The renowned United States-based orthodontist crafts the RP-tricolor mouthguard Pacquiao uses in fights, and posts information right from Roach?s Wild Card gym in Hollywood.

Pacquiao, in his column in the tabloid Abante Sunday, admitted that they are devising a ?strategy,? one they have not done since their first team-up seven years ago.

?We are preparing new techniques so that De La Hoya won?t be able to use his physical advantage against me and that I won?t fall prey to his traps,? Pacquiao wrote in Filipino.

Pacquiao, who turns 29 on Dec. 17, is already the world?s most famous boxer next to the 35-year-old De La Hoya.

?I am very happy that Freddie has identified De La Hoya?s strengths and weaknesses,? said Pacquiao.

Roach worked as De La Hoya?s cornerman during his fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May last year.