Pacquiao focused despite typhoon horror

Manny Pacquiao will not let the problems caused by typhoons in his native Philippines distract him from the task of defeating Miguel Cotto in Las Vegas next month, according to his trainer Freddie Roach.

Pacquiao, a folk hero with political aspirations in his homeland, was training on home soil for his November 14 showdown with Puerto Rico's welterweight champion Cotto when typhoons hit the islands, killing more than 700 people and making more than six million homeless.

The boxer, who became many people's pound for pound champion following his devastating knockout of England's Ricky Hatton on May 2, visited some of the worst-hit areas around the capital Manila and distributed food and supplies to some of those affected by the typhoon.

With Pacquiao now back at Roach's Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles, California, the American trainer on Wednesday said that though the sights took their toll on Pacquiao it would not stop his fighter knocking out WBO champion Cotto.

"It left him mentally drained and very sad, naturally," Roach said during a Wednesday conference call from Los Angeles. "But, once we got in the gym, he put it aside.

"Manny is able to put that side of real life aside when he gets into the gym.

"I feel Manny, the way he's punching right now, with the power that's there at this weight, he's going to knock Cotto out.

"I'm very confident and I look forward to the win."