VALERO CONVINCED BARRERA WILL BEAT PACQUIAO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 29 Sep 2007
Venezuela’s undefeated WBA super featherweight champion Edwin Valero predicts that legendary Mexican Marco Antonio Barrera will beat Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao in their rematch at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino on October 6.
In an interview with the Ernesto Castellanos in the Spanish-language newspaper ESTO, the knockout artist with 22 KO’s in 22 wins said he had helped Barrera in sparring for several days at his training camp on Guadalajara and that “after having worked with Barrera I am convinced he is going to win.”
Valero said he had seen Barrera fight in his last two encounters (against Rocky Juarez and Juan Manuel Marquez) and believes he is now “faster than ever. I think based on boxing and speed he is going to get the decision. Same as the Juarez rematch” giving a clear indication that Barrera planned to try and outbox Pacquiao and not engage him in a slugfest.
Valero also criticized Pacquiao for his decision to train in the Philippines instead of Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles as he had done in the past for all his big fights. He said “Manny made a mistake in training in the Philippines.”
The southpaw who has resided in Japan for the past few years and is handled by the well-known businessman-sportsman Akihiko Honda admitted that Pacquiao has “great speed and overwhelms with his guts” but claimed he was “clumsy and does not know how to throw curved blows, only inside.”
In an overseas telephone call, well-known Japanese matchmaker, boxing manager and journalist Joe Koizumi told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today that Valero was back in training in Tokyo for his next title defense in Cancun, Mexico on December 15. Koizumi said that although Valero trained with Barrera he “gave no indication about Barrera’s condition.”
Barrera is scheduled to close down his training camp which was supervised by coach Sendai Tanaka today and leave for Los Angeles for a press conference alongside Pacquiao on Sunday.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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