KINONTRA ni Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach ang pahayag ni Top Rank big boss Bob Arum na posibleng ma-upset ni Aussie Jeff Horn si WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao sa Hulyo 2 sa Brisbane, Australia.
“Many hasn’t scored a KO in a long time, it’s time that changed. He’s working his ass off and we will be keeping the world title,” sabi ni Roach kay boxing correspondent Grantlee Kieza ng CourierMail.com.
Idiniin ni Roach na walang minamaliit na karibal si Pacquiao kaya handang-handa ito sa nalalapit na laban.
“Manny doesn’t underestimate anyone. Horn is a good puncher, but we’re prepared for anything. Manny will go for a knockout,” dagdag ni Roach. “Horn is a good counter-puncher, so we are coming up with a sure-fire game plan. There are big fights coming up for Manny and Horn is just the kind of opponent Manny needs to prepare for those.”
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Naunang sinabi ni Arum sa BoxingScene.com na malaking bagay para kay Horn ang tinatayang 55,000 boxing fans na magsasadya sa Suncorp Stadium para sa sagupaan.
“I watched Horn’s last fight ringside in New Zealand and he’s a very capable young man. If his fight with Pacquiao was in Vegas or Madison Square Garden in New York I wouldn’t give him much of a chance because I think nerves would take over against a fighter like Manny,” ani Arum. “But the fact Jeff is going to be fighting in front of so many of his countrymen will calm his nerves and I think he will give a great account of himself. I’ve been in this business 51 years and I have presided over some tremendous upsets.”
“Manny is a big favourite but in boxing anything can happen and I have seen a lot of big upsets in my time,” dagdag ni Arum. “The July 2 fight is a huge event. And I’m so glad that after a long time of negotiations it is coming to Brisbane and the huge stadium you have there. Fights like this are what makes the sport so exciting for me after 51 years in boxing. Australia is a great sporting country and to do an event like this for more than 50,000 people in Brisbane is really memorable.” (Gilbert Espeña)
