ROACH PROMISES A GREAT FIGHT AGAINST DE LA HOYA
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 28 Aug 2008
Celebrated trainer Freddie Roach this morning promised ?a great fight? when Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao battles ?The Golden Boy? Oscar De La Hoya at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas on December 6.
In an overseas telephone conversation with www.insidesports.ph he said Pacquiao had called him last night and they had ?talked for a little while.? Roach said Pacquiao told him he?s ?ready and anxious to do the fight.?
The official announcement is expected to be made tomorrow.
Roach said ?it?s a great fight. A no-brainer anyway. There is no better fight out there.? Roach said he would have to ?make some adjustments, get some good sparring partners but nothing out of the ordinary.?
There were indicartions from Pacquiao himself that they would have a longer training camp than the usual 7-8 weeks.
Roach noted that Pacquiao was ?coming off a good win? against WBC lightweight champion David Diaz and his ?confidence is at a high.?
Roach said Pacquiao has several pluses on his side - ?speed, youth, power. We are stronger, faster. The only advantage the guy (Oscar) has is he?s going to be ten pounds heavier than us? when they enter the ring but we have all the other advantages.?
The two-time ?Trainer of the Year? pointed out that De La Hoya ?doesn?t fight shorter guys well.? He said all Pacquiao has to do is to get close and the reach advantage ?goes away quickly.?
The biggest thing for Pacquiao, according to Roach, is ?getting past his jab? and that he would perfect a counter by the end of training camp.
Roach conceded that in some small way he contributed to getting the fight done because he needled De La Hoya ?just a little bit? by his public pronouncements in an interview this reporter and Dennis Principe conducted on the dzSR Sports Radio show ?Sports Chat? some time ago. Roach told us then that De La Hoya was slow, couldn?t pull the trigger and that Pacquiao would knock him out.
Roach said ?Oscar is a nice guy but Manny is my guy.?
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Sumalinog Brothers Score Wins in Bohol; Sign with Monty Flores (PHOTOS)
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 05 Feb 2026MANNY PACQUIAO PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT WITH TEAM BOXING LEAGUE
Thu, 05 Feb 2026Trifon Petrov unveils the signing of another USA Team member in Ariana Carrasco
Thu, 05 Feb 2026Jerome Gonzales off to a marvelous start in J&P 10 Ball Cup at Pacman's Cue Club
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 05 Feb 2026DCL amateur MMA on Feb. 21 at Sta. Lucia Mall
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 05 Feb 2026THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 3 FEBRUARY 2026: Shakur Schools Teofimo to Become 4-Division Champ; Zayas Unifies WBA/WBO Superwelter; Kelly Beats Murtazaliev
By Eric Armit, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Round 12 with Mauricio Sulaimán: A Grand Week for Boxing in NY
By Mauricio Sulaimán, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Boxlab Promotions Euri Cedeno and Carlos De Leon Castro Shine in San Juan Victories
Wed, 04 Feb 2026National Boxing Hall of Fame 2026 is set to April 26 in Montebello, California
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Vito Mielnicki Jr. Returns Home to Defend WBC USA, IBF USBA and WBO Global Middleweight Championships Against Omar Ulises Huerta
Wed, 04 Feb 2026Noah Lucas Palcis sees action in Bangkok chess meet
By Marlon Bernardino, Wed, 04 Feb 2026Reymond Yanong Edges Out Hayato Ono for Split Decision Win in Japan
By Carlos Costa, Tue, 03 Feb 2026“I’m gonna smoke whoever is in front of me, Anthony Wright- Hearn makes his pro debut March 13 at Thunderdome 53
Tue, 03 Feb 2026Pacman's Cue Club Hosts J&P 10 Ball Cup from Feb. 4 to 7
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 03 Feb 2026Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge is back
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 03 Feb 2026