ROACH, FINKEL PREDICT KO WIN FOR PACQUIAO
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 04 Oct 2007
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach and former manager Shelly Finkel whose fighter Daniel Cervantes gave Filipino national treasure Manny Pacquiao and Roach something to think about when the young lightweight caught Pacquiao with several stinging right straights in sparring last week, both predict that Pacquiao will win by knockout in Sunday?s showdown with Mexican icon Marco Antonio Barrera.
Finkel told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today ?I cannot see it anyway but Manny stopping him (Barrera) probably within eight rounds.? The fight will be telecast by Solar Sports in cooperation with GMA 7.
Roach, speaking at the final news conference at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino where the fight will take place said ?Marco is a real game guy, but I do believe we?ll get it done before twelve.?
Roach conceded that it is going to be a tough fight but that the ?great training camp? both in Cebu City and in his own Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles helped Pacquiao get into one hundred percent shape for a fight billed as the ?Will to Win? but in the Viva Sports two-part, TV specials telecast on RPN 9 was titled ?Repeat or Revenge? in a reflection of confidence that Pacquiao would repeat his demolition of Barrera on November 15, 2003.
Roach made mention of the excuses put forward by the Barrera camp after his humiliating loss to Pacquiao when they claimed he was distracted by forest fires that forced him to transfer his training camp and by medical tests following allegations that he had a metal plate imbedded in his brain. Roach said ?I hope they don?t have any excuses this time? although in fairness to Barrera he conceded that he had a bad night and Pacquiao deservedly won.
Pacquiao was all smiles during the press conference in stark contrast to the serious look on Barrera?s face which seemed to signify his intensity and determination to ? as he warned ? shock the Philippines by beating a national idol.
Pacquiao speaking in what one reporter described as ?vastly improved English? said he was ?really excited about the fight. We will see whether Barrera was really distracted in the first fight.? As usual, Pacquiao said he would ?try and give a good fight? while noting that both he and Barrera are in 100 percent condition. Pacquiao concluded by saying ?this is for all the Filipinos and everyone who loves boxing.?
Chino Trinidad of GMA 7 and Solar Sports told Viva Sports/Manila Standard Today in an overseas telephone conversation that Pacquiao was ?on very high spirits? as they prepared for some roadwork yesterday morning. Trinidad said that there was no way he could see Pacquiao being beaten considering the condition he was in. Trinidad joined the chorus of predictions that Pacquiao would put Barrera away after a few rounds.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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