MANILA, Philippines?An overweight, Manny Pacquiao is set to fly to the United States Sunday night to train and at the same time begin the promotional tour for his Dec. 6 fight with Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

The 29-year-old Pacquiao, embarking on the most important bout of his life against the most important boxer in the sport, admitted that he doesn?t control his diet while off-training. He now weighs 154 pounds, the light middleweight limit.

?I know that I can burn all of this (excess weight) when I start training at Wild Card (gym of American trainer Freddie Roach in Hollywood),? said Pacquiao in his column this week in the tabloid Abante.

After fighting at 135 lb for the first time ever?and winning the World Boxing Council lightweight title over David Diaz in the process?Pacquiao will take a shot at 147 lb against De La Hoya, who will go two weight classes down to make the same weight.

?I?m embarking on the hardest training in my life,? said Pacquiao in Filipino. ?It?s still 12 weeks to go but time flies.?

He said there are plenty of tasks to attend to before he flies to Los Angeles, including his studies and other matters.

Pacquiao will start his promo tour in New York before moving on to other cities where there are significant Filipino populations.

The tight schedule has prompted Roach to fix a training regimen that will ensure that the world?s best boxer pound-for-pound gets to work out every single day.

?I will put on the pounds to at least keep up with his (De La Hoya?s) size,? said Pacquiao. ?But I will make sure I don?t sacrifice my speed, which is my main weapon.?

One of his confidants, Cebu-based boxing promoter Rex ?Wakee? Salud, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Pacquiao is embarking on a fight ?that has made Filipinos lose their minds.?

?It?s going to be an uphill battle for Manny, but he wants this very much,? Salud said. ?His main weapons are youth and speed.?

Pacquiao said he will make the required weight in great shape, adding that he?s sure De La Hoya, who is taller and bigger, will also manage to trim down to 147 lb.

?I like my chances even if I am the underdog,? said Pacquiao. ?In my mind, I know how to defeat him.?