“START AGGRESIVE, STRONG, FAST” - ROACH
By Rene Bonsubre, Jr.
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 24 Oct 2009
Manila - The world's best boxing trainer pound for pound Freddie Roach was a guest at the Sports Communicators Organization of the Philippines (SCOOP) Forum held at the Kamayan Restaurant in Manila Friday morning.
Roach emphasized the importance of Manny Pacquiao starting aggressively in the opening round against WBO welterweight champ Miguel Cotto. “Manny needs to start aggressive, strong and fast so that he'll make Cotto remember the beating he got from Antonio Margarito.”
Cotto is a notoriously slow starter and Roach said that there is a window of opportunity in the early minutes to catch him cold. They have prepared for two different Cottos – the boxer and the puncher. But Roach feels Cotto cannot counter like Juan Manuel Marquez and change styles in six weeks. “If he gets hit, he'll fight.”
“We're ready if Cotto gets physical and even if he shifts to southpaw.” Roach also said.
Roach was asked by reporters for comments about Pacquiao's training in Baguio and Manila. He replied that the training in Baguio went well. When the weather was bad Manny would use the threadmill or the pool.
He did not mind training in Baguio. “Give me a ring and a gym and I will do my job.” But when they went down to Manila it was a different story. “ I wanted to keep distractions to a minimum. They were too many politicians approaching Manny. I did not really know why they were there...they claimed to be Manny's supporters.”
Roach remembers the criticisms they got when Pacquiao trained in Cebu for Marco Antonio Barrera in 2007. “A lot of people criticized us because Manny did not knock him out the second time. But Manny really did not want to humiliate him, you know Manny.”
He also said that he welcomes Pacquiao's singing but not the pick up basketball games. “Four weeks before the fight...No basketball.” Team Pacquiao will leave for the U.S. On Saturday. Roach said that it will take ten days to adjust to avoid jet lag. He will be getting two new sparring partners in Los Angeles – Rey Beltran and Rey Serrano. Roach said that Pacquiao has a tendency not to beat up his sparmates once he gets too familiar with them and he gets bored.
Pacquiao is now at 146.5 lbs. and has to drink protein shakes which he hates to keep his weight up. When asked if Pacquiao will sue Floyd Mayweather,Sr because of his statements accusing Manny of steroid use, Roach replied, “We'll let it slide. Who listens to then anyway?”
He does want Floyd Jr to be Manny's next opponent. “It will be difficult negotiating with him, he's a little crazy when it comes to money.” Roach also added that if Marquez and Pacquiao meet again at 140 lbs, Manny will knock him out. Roach feels 140 is Pacquiao's best weight. He also named Bernabe Concepcion, Dennis Laurente, AJ Banal, Z Gorres and Gerry Penalosa as the Filipino boxers that impress him.
Roach gamely posed for pictures with waiters and sports scribes before and after the press conference.
Top photo: Pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao (R) prepares for his training session with hall of fame trainer Freddie Roach (C) and conditioning coach Alex Ariza last Thursday at the Gerry Penalosa Gym in Mandaluyong City.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Rene Bonsubre, Jr..
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