Manila, Philippines —  At around the same time Manny Pacquiao was presiding over a fund-raising event in a plush Makati hotel late Wednesday night, it was morning across the vast Pacific Ocean in Las Vegas where Antonio Margarito was keeping his body all warmed up for the start of training camp.

Margarito, his chief trainer Robert Garcia said, did a light workout as a prelude to the start of training camp proper in Oxnard, California, on Monday, as they team up in a bold bid to put a halt to Pacquiao’s rampage on November 13 at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

While Pacquiao remains busy the past few weeks attending to his duties as Sarangani congressman, the 31-year-old fighter said he will start doing light workout like running and shadowboxing in the coming days, something his long-time backer Lito Atienza said was long overdue.

“This guy Margarito is a giant,” said Atienza, the image of Margarito staring down at Pacquiao during the recent promotional tour, still fresh in the former Manila mayor’s mind.

“Manny should better settle down now and (begin) training because I could see in Margarito’s eyes the look of a very hungry fighter,” added Atienza.

Pacquiao said he currently weighs a little over 150 lbs and expects to open his training camp in Baguio on September 20 in the company of Freddie Roach and strength and conditioning coach Alex Ariza.

The Pacquiao-Margarito showdown will be for the vacant World Boxing Council super-welterweight (154 lbs) crown at a catch weight of 150 lbs.

But while Roach and Ariza are still in the US, Pacquiao will continue to report for work at the Batasang Pambansa with healthcare and quality education as the main thrusts of his program for his destitute constituents in Sarangani, one of the poorest provinces in the country.

During the fundraiser that was attended by heads of government offices and agencies as well as multinational companies, Pacquiao unravelled his plan to build a hospital in the impoverished province.

“I promised my people in Saragani about building a hospital and I don’t intend to break my promise,” said Pacquiao.

Former Ilocos Sur Gov. Chavit Singson started the ball rolling by shelling out P500,000, while the noted architect Jun Palafox said he is waving “seventy-percent of the architect’s fee.”