Negating the speed of Filipino pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao will be the thrust of Antonio Margarito’s ten-week training camp that begins immediately after the two combatants get back from a three-city, coast-to-coast four-day press tour.

“What concerns me most about Pacquiao is his speed. We have two months (to prepare) and get the right gameplan,” trainer Robert Garcia told the Bulletin Monday from his homebase in Oxnard, California.

Garcia and Margarito, as well as Pacquiao and his team, would be making whirlwind stops in Los Angeles, New York and Dallas in the coming days to promote their Nov. 13 showdown at Cowboys Stadium.

Day One for Margarito will begin Sept. 6 – exactly two weeks ahead of Pacquiao, who shows up for training camp on Sept. 20 with top trainer Freddie Roach and conditioning coach Alex Ariza in tow.

Garcia understands why Pacquiao is the heavy favorite but is upbeat that Margarito has what it takes to turn the tables around.

“Margarito is always in shape and he doesn’t allow himself to get out of shape. He is always running, making sure his weight is in check. The last time he fought, he went to training camp weighing 157 lbs when the fight was at 154,” said Garcia, a former world super-featherweight champion back in the 1990s.

Garcia downplays Margarito’s knockout loss to Shane Mosley on that fateful night in January 2009, saying the Mexican puncher mind was not into the fight.

“I believe he was not mentally in shape when he fought Mosley. He said they played around with the scales because he only weighed in at 145 lbs. He has a hard time getting down to 147 then he weighs 145. He also mentioned about the handwraps.

Those things affected him so much and I believe that if they fight again, Margarito will beat him (Mosley).”

Being eyed to serve as Margarito’s main sparring partner is reigning world middleweight champion and Oxnard resident Sergio Martinez of Argentina, who is a lefty like Pacquiao.

Pacquiao and Margarito will vie for the vacant World Boxing Council super-welterweight crown although both have agreed on a catchweight of 150 lbs.

Meanwhile, Pacquiao was scheduled to depart for the US late Monday night to take part in the press tour and be back later in the week.