Inamin ni Hall-of-Fame trainer Freddie Roach na hindi nadala ni eight-division world titlist Manny Pacquiao ang kanyang knockout power sa welterweight division.
Sa kabila ng 12-round TKO win kay Miguel Angel Cotto noong 2009 para sa WBO welterweight title, hindi nagawang madomina ng People’s champion ang naturang division.
Sa panayam, iginiit ni Roach na nangako si Pacquiao na naitala ang TKO win sa pagharap kay American Tim Bradley para sa WBO 147 lbs. class sa Abril 9 sa MGM Grand Arena sa Las Vegas.
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“Manny told me that he’ll be looking for a knockout in this fight because he wants to knockout Bradley. That’s the first time he said that to me in like 10 years, it’s been a long time,” sambit ni Roach.
Inamin ni Roach na matagal na rin niyang hindi nakikitang nakapagpatulog ng kalaban si Pacquiao kaya gusto niyang mapatulog ng Pinoy boxer si Bradley sa huling laban nito bago magretiro.
“I like when he says stuff like that because it’s right up my alley and that’s what I want him to do in this fight.
I don’t care if Teddy Atlas says he’s seen [Bradley’s] fire or whatever story he has. This is not a storybook, this is a fight,” giit ni Roach.
Bagamat hindi nakapagpatulog ng kalaban mula noong 2009, nanatiling malaking personalidad sa welterweight division si Pacquiao dahil sa taglay nitong bilis at lakas.
“[Pacquiao] is not a big puncher at 147. That’s a clear fact. At 140 he was a better puncher, at 135 he was an even better puncher,” diin ni Roach. “That’s just the way it is, he didn’t carry the punch [power] up to 147.”
Inamin din ni Roach na hindi siya ang nagpasikat sa mga boksingerong tinulungan niya na maging kampeon tulad ni Pacman, baskus ang mga ito ang nagpasikat sa kanya.
“I’ve been with like 33 world champions but believe me, I didn’t make all those champions. A lot of those fighters made me. I think the fighters make the trainers to be honest with you. During a fight, I sit down. They fight. Give them the credit.” (Gilbert Espeña)
