PACQUIAO BEGINS BIG PUSH
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 17 Sep 2007
Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao begins what trainer Freddie Roach describes as ?our big push? which will be a very hard week on the road in the mornings and in the gym in the afternoons in Cebu City.
In a conversation with Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today, Roach said they would leave for Los Angeles on the 22nd and ?start tapering off? while chief-of-staff Jake Joson said they would fly to Manila for a press conference organized by Solar Sports which has the exclusive Philippine rights for the rematch against Marco Antonio Barrera and GMA 7 which will telecast the fights.
Joson said Pacquiao would wind up his training at the Wild Card Gym of former business manager Rod Nazario in BF Homes, Paranaque before leaving for the airport to board the 10:00 Philippine Airlines flight to Los Angeles.
Roach said ?Manny is a great kid? even as he scoffed at rumors saying Pacquiao was ?not training and taking this fight lightly, making Barrera the favorite.? Roach quipped ?maybe we can make some money? betting on Pacquiao. Roach actually revealed he bet $1,000 that Pacquiao would win by knockout in their first fight in San Antonio, Texas in November 2003 at odds of 4 to 1 after Pacquiao saw a pool table near the weigh-in area, racked them up and sank five balls on the break. Roach said ?with that kind of luck how can we lose?? and promptly placed a bet.
Roach said Pacquiao is ?a better fighter today than when he first fought Barrera and is a better fight than he was in his last fight? against previously undefeated Jorge Solis whom he knocked out in the eighth round. To Roach, it?s the opportunity to work one-on-one with Pacquiao rather than divide his attention among fourteen fighters in his Wild Card Gym that?s been a revelation to the trainer.
Roach said Oscar De La Hoya whom he trained alone for the Floyd Mayweather title fight made him realize that he ?gets so much back because I really focus on the fight, focus on the moves.? He said he is right now ?focusing on making Manny a better fighter.?
Roach said he believes that Pacquiao can ?definitely become one of the greatest fighters of all-time? pointing out that he is still learning and wants to learn more.
The celebrated trainer said that Pacquiao has an arsenal of offensive weapons and is now also a ?much better fighter defensively? with even better head movement, great footwork and faster reflexes. In fact Roach promised ?we?ll show Barrera a few new moves.?
Roach said he ?likes being around fighters like Pacquiao and WBO bantamweight champion Gerry Penalosa because, he said, ?they make me look good and make my job a little easier.? He said he loves the Filipino fighters he has worked with including the boxers from the ALA Gym such as Rey ?Boom Boom? Bautista, Z ?The Dream? Gorres, AJ ?Bazooka? Banal, Michael Domingo and also Diosdado Gabi. He added ?I love these kids and to bring out the best in them is what I live for.?
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