World champion boxer Manny Pacquiao plans to fly to the United States in mid-July to train at Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles for his welterweight title match against Errol Spence Jr.

This means he won't be in the Philippines by the time President Rodrigo Duterte delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA) late in July.

"Before SONA . . . second week of July," Pacquiao said in an interview with boxing journalist Nick Giongco on YouTube when asked when he plans to leave for the US.

• Pacquiao vs Spence is 'history in the making,' says Thurman

Pacquiao, 42, is allotting at least a whole month of intensive training for his title unification about against the younger undefeated champion in Spence.

Spence holds the WBC and IBF welterweight titles while Pacquiao is staking the WBA "super" welterweight crown.

"My concern is he's younger . . . (Pero) mabilis pa rin naman ako at 'yung uhaw ko sa taas ng ring nandoon pa rin," said Pacquiao.

• Spence says he wants to KO Pacquiao to retirement

Pacquiao added that he has personally scrutinized Spence's fight game at ringside while the latter was in the ring with Mikey Garcia in March 2019.

He already considered Spence's southpaw stance and punching power before making a decision to announce their Aug. 21 bout.

"Lahat naman ng suntok malakas e, basta mapatama ka," Pacquiao said. "Kaliwete ito, pero pinagaralan kong mabuti 'yung style niya."

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