NAGKAUSAP na sina Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach at ang dati niyang boksingero sa loob ng 16 taon na si eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao at nagkasundo silang muling magsasama sa susunod na laban ng Pinoy boxer.
Sinanay si Pacquiao ng kanyang matalik na kaibigan at assistant trainer ni Roach na si Buboy Fernandez sa unang pagkakataon at nagbunga ito ng 7th round knockout na panalo laban kay Lucas Matthysse para matamo ng Pilipino ang WBA welterweight title kamakailan sa Kuala, Lumpur, Malaysia.
Inamin ni Roach sa BoxingScene.com na nagkausap na sila ni Pacquiao at inihayag ang kagustuhan niyang makaharap nito sa isang rematch si dating WBO welterweight champion Jeff Horn ng Australia.
Nanalo si Horn sa kontrobersiyal na 12-round unanimous decision kay Pacquiao sa sagupaang pinanood ng 54,000 boxing fans sa Suncorp Stadium sa Brisbane kahit muntik siyang mapatulog sa 9th round ng laban noong Hulyo 2, 2017.
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Natalo naman si Horn via 9th round knockout sa Amerikanong si Terence Crawford para agawin ang WBO welterweight title nitong Hunyo 9 sa Las Vegas, Nevada at kaagad niyang hinamon sa rematch si Pacquiao nang manalo ito kay Matthysse.
“I talked to Manny and I told him that he looked good. I think his opponent tried to pack it in early. He couldn’t handle Manny’s pressure,” sabi ni Roach. “It was a good fight for him. We have had several conversations where we have talked about working together.”
“I’m very busy with my boys right now. With fighters like Alberto Machado. The truth is I’m happy with the 16 years I was next to Manny. He is already 39 years old,” diin ni Roach. “He still has good speed and power. But father time does not forgive and we all get slow.”
Para kay Roach, ang rematch kay Horn ang pinakamagandang laban para kay Pacquiao bago ito magretiro.
“Horn would be a good fight to finish [his career]. But the names they are talking about out there [Vasyl Lomachenko and Terence Crawford],” dagdag ni Roach. “I think they wouldn’t be the right opponents. I think that I wouldn’t like those fight for Manny.”
-Gilbert Espeña
