TEAM PACQUIAO SEES KNOCKOUT WIN FOR MANNY
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 06 Apr 2016
LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- It's Manny Pacquiao by knockout!
This is how Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, his assistants and the eight-division champion's sparring mate see his fight with American pretender Timothy Bradley slated this Saturday (Sunday in Manila) at the MGM Grand Arena here.
The 56-year-old Roach, also seven-time "Trainer of the Year" honoree of the Boxing Writers Association of American, not only reaffirmed his earlier projection, but picked the round, too, where he thinks his prized student will send the boy from Palm Springs in California to dreamland.
Roach, former fighter himself, projected the fight not to last eight rounds. "Yeah, Manny will knock this guy out between the sixth and eighth rounds," Roach predicted with a wide grin.
"We've just completed one of the most fruitful, if not the most successful camp and I believe that Manny has regained what it takes to stop an opponent, whoever he is."
Roach assured, too, that his ward of a decade and-a-half has found his killer instinct that floored for good 38 of 65 fighters that crossed his path. "Manny himself told me that and because he, too, said this will be his last fight, there's no way for me not to believe him."
Photos of Pacquiao's training at Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas by Wendell Rupert Alinea.
Assistant trainer and the Sarangani Congressman's bosom friend since childhood, Buboy Fernandez , echoed the chiefs trainer's belief.
"We, coach Freddie's assistants in the training staff were there when we first pitched camp in GenSan (General Santos City) even when he (Roach) was not yet there, and we saw Manny's evolution to where he is now," Buboy recalled in reference to fellow assistant trainer Nonoy Neri and his brother Roger "Haplas" Feernandez.
"Sa body english nya habang nag-e-ensayo at sa pagsunod nya sa lahat ng instruksyon sa kanya, nakita namin ang determinasyon nya at dedikasyon," he attested. "Mga bata pa lang kami magkakaibigan na kami, di ba? Kaya kilos pa lang alam na namin ang ibig sabihin ng isa't-isa."
Neri and Haplas agreed. "Ibang-iba talaga ang ikinilos ni Manny sa enssayo ngayon kaysa noong mga nakaraang laban kaya naniniwala kami na may palalagyan si Bradley sa labang ito," the duo chorused.
"Yeah, I stick to my consistent stand tht Manny will knockout Bradley from six to nine rounds" Congolese-Canadian sparmate Ghislain Maduma said. "Been sparring with Manny for the past four to five weeks and I noticed him to be getting stronger and faster each day," he said.
Lydell Rhodes, the Pacman's other dancing partner, sounded not so bold in his prediction although he, too, believe Pacquiao will prevail via stoppage.
Strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune didn't venture a prediction, simply saying he didn't want to because every time he did in the past it was the opposite that happened.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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