ROACH ALTERS HIS PREDICTION, SAYS RIOS WON?T LAST FOUR ROUNDS
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 20 Nov 2013
Shortly after they arrived in Macau on Monday evening, celebrated trainer Freddie Roach altered his prediction about how long former world lightweight champion Brandon ?Bam Bam? Rios will last when he steps into the ring against ?Fighter of the Decade? Manny Pacquiao at the Cotai Arena on Sunday morning Manila Time.
Before their workout at the Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino on Tuesday around noon, Roach said ?Manny?s last training session was nothing short of amazing. We were supposed to do six rounds on the mitts and I cut it off after four rounds. They were the best four rounds of mitts I have ever done with Manny. He was blazing. He was throwing the heat.?
Roach who had spent several weeks at Pacquiao?s training camp in the fighter?s hometown of General Santos City said ?This was the happiest and most productive camp I have had with Manny in years.?
He then modified his prediction on the result of their showdown for the WBO International welterweight title. Roach said ?I know I predicted that Manny would knock Rios out inside six rounds but based on our last workout, I don?t see how Rios makes it past the fourth round.?
The arrival of Pacquiao quickly turned the spotlight away from Rios and on to Pacquiao, the eight division world champion spoke with quiet confidence, stating ?I am more than confident. Rios is bigger than me. Remember Goliath was bigger than David and yet David needed just one stone to fell the giant. I enter this fight stronger than ever. I have the strength of my country and my people coursing through my body. I fight for them, not for me. I fight for their glory, not mine.?
ABS-CBN reporter Dyan Castillejo who covered Pacquiao?s Macau workout told the Manila Standard he ?looked so good in training today ? super sharp, quick, explosive.?
In the afternoon Pacquiao hosted a Bible Study and a praise and worship service in his suite with pastor Amir from Israel.
Before the arrival of Team Pacquiao, Rios and Garcia hosted a roundtable in their suite with the first wave of international media who arrived earlier.
Rios said ?I want to feel Manny?s power. I want to feel all of it. This is the first training camp I have kept to the game plan and done everything I was told to do. Manny Pacquiao is a big step. I am going to shut everyone up and prove I am the best.?
Recalling his twelve round unanimous decision loss in his rematch with Mike ?Mile High? Alvarado after he won the first by a 7th round TKO, Rios said he was ?focused on knocking him out and that?s how I trained and fought, throwing one shot at a time trying to land that knockout punch. It was also the first time I ever lifted weights and by the third round I was slowing down.?
He claimed things had changed in his preparation for the Pacquiao fight. ? This time I am focusing on winning ? not on the knockout ? and Robert and his dad have designed a lot of ways for me to do that. I know we are in Manny?s backyard and I want to win every round. I have trained not to give up a minute to Manny Pacquiao.? said Rios.
2012 ?Trainer of the Year? Robert Garcia reiterated what he had told ABS-CBN reporter Dyan Castillejo which was carried by the Manila Standard on Tuesday. He said ?Twice during the two episodes of ?24/7″ I?ve heard Freddie Roach say he will ask Manny Pacquiao to retire if he loses to Brandon Rios. Well, Freddie had better buy that gold watch for Manny, because the retirement party begins on Saturday night. I guarantee you this will be the last time you ever see Manny Pacquiao on an HBO Pay-Per-View.?
Photo: Pacquiao and Roach grand arrival at The Venetian Macao. Photo by Chris Farina / Top Rank.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ronnie Nathanielsz.
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