'SEARCH AND DESTROY' SELLING HOT, BUT ...
By Recah Trinidad
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 20 Mar 2014
On April 12 in Las Vegas, there?ll be none of the soft-pedalling, reluctant knockout artist who allowed big Brandon Rios to escape and survive in Macau last November.
Unbeaten Tim Bradley has been told he would be meeting the original Manny Pacquiao with the fierce stormy might that has ?stopped Oscar de la Hoya, Eric Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera and Ricky Hatton.?
That sharp threat was not mouthed by Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach, who has been hard-selling a Pacquiao KO win over Bradley for their forthcoming rematch.
It came from 8-division world boxing title winner Pacquiao, who has vowed to also ?be a lot better.?
**
You see, the urgency of a stoppage has been growing more acute by the day, so that the singular order (for Pacquiao) has also started to thin out like a predictable sales ploy.
Roach, for the record, has been drumming hard for a knockout win since Day One at the Team Pacquiao camp.
Roach has told Pacquiao and the international media that everybody has been salivating for a severe stoppage.
This claim, by the way, also caused Pacquiao?s forthcoming fight to be cast as a search-and-destroy mission.
**
Truth is Pacquiao, short of demolishing Bradley, had been cheated of victory by dishonest judges in their first encounter in June 2012.
Maybe that was one of the reasons: Roach didn?t like fight judges to again have anything to do with the final outcome.
Stated Pacquiao: ?Freddie loves knockouts and I would like to make Freddie happy.?
**
That, indeed, was great motivation for both the famous trainer and his legendary fighter.
However, Roach should also be reminded that the whole boxing world is not totally sold on his claim that only a knockout win could please everybody.
In fact, there are enough fans and self-styled experts who believe that a sustained and masterful dominance could be more relevant than a knockout by any form.
**
Of course, those who reject Roach?s vehemence know for a fact that Pacquiao, more often than not, goes wild and drops what little he has in defensive competence each time he would jump in for a frantic knockout.
Simply put, if Roach still has the time and ability to teach Pacquiao how to go on a killer blitz, and stay competently defensive at the same time, by all means shoot for the jackpot.
If not, Roach should also consider what Pacquiao had stated at the Wild Card Gym last week and was carried by the Inquirer.
?I want to win convincingly,? Pacquiao said. ?The knockout will come. I don?t want to be careless.?
**
Maybe it was not the first time Pacquiao had mouthed that intention, which was definitely nowhere before his disastrous KO defeat to Juan Manuel Marquez.
Fighting with equal competence and caution. These words, by the way, were spoken by Pacquiao the day after the legendary country singer Bob Dylan paid him a sit-in visit at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood last week.
Anyway, it could not be readily determined whether the two legends talked boxing, or if Dylan, a serious student of the Sweet Science, had offered some tips.
But Pacquiao, in stressing he would get into the ring against Bradley with careful ferocity, had obviously heard the answer blowing in the wind.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Recah Trinidad.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 8 SEPTEMBER 2025: Nunez Outpoints Diaz; Iglesias Stops Shishkin; Valdez, Conlan Register Wins in Return
By Eric Armit, Tue, 09 Sep 2025Dante Kirkman Stays Undefeated Triumphing with Dominant Unanimous Decision Win
Tue, 09 Sep 2025Dream fight for Steven Sumpter vs. Undefeated Bek Nurmaganbet This Wednesday at Fontainebleau Las Vegas during ‘Canelo vs. Crawford’ Week
Tue, 09 Sep 2025Yoseline Perez and Malachi Georges Advance to Quarterfinals with Wins on Day Five of World Boxing Championships
Tue, 09 Sep 2025GM candidate Ronald Dableo's squad rules Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso Inter-Barangay Chess Team Tournament, pockets P150,000
By Marlon Bernardino, Tue, 09 Sep 2025Saggap, Manayon top Heritage Aquathlon
By Lito delos Reyes, Tue, 09 Sep 2025Rizal Memorial Coliseum: The Arena That Endured War and Forged Generations of Filipino Greats
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Tue, 09 Sep 2025“The Homecoming” turned into Coronation for Marco Romero
Tue, 09 Sep 2025Christopher “Pitufo” Diaz Speaks After Pushing Eduardo Nunez to the Limit in Thrilling War – A Potential Fight of the Year
Tue, 09 Sep 2025Santisima Wins But Vicelles Loses; Suarez-Navarrete Rematch Hangs in the Balance?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Mon, 08 Sep 2025Locked & loaded for Lewis Crocker rematch, Paddy Donovan has prepared to be crowned the new IBF Welterweight World Champion
Mon, 08 Sep 2025Robby Gonzales Advances to Round of 16 with Win Over Cuba
Mon, 08 Sep 2025James Padua rules Marikina rapid chess championship
By Marlon Bernardino, Mon, 08 Sep 2025Remembering Gabriel ‘Flash’ Elorde: A Pilgrimage of Gratitude
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Sun, 07 Sep 2025Hometown Triumph: Oscar Valdez Defeats Ricky Medina by Decision
Sun, 07 Sep 2025