WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao is determined to end his eight-year knockout holiday by advancing his training schedule to prepare for his showdown against Australian challenger Jeff Horn at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Normally Pacquiao would train for eight weeks before his actual fight date but this time he has started physical conditioning exercises as he awaits the arrival in Manila of his longtime trainer Freddie Roach. Pacquiao is expected to spend most of his training time in Manila while he continues to discharge his duties as an elected senator of the Philippines. `There might be 55,000 people in the (Suncorp) Stadium cheering for Horn but that will only encourage Manny to put on the best show he can,’ Roach told Fox Sports. “He will be the very best he can be for this fight because we know Jeff Horn will be at his best too,?? Roach added. Pacquiao failed to score a knockout win since he won over Miguel Cotto of Puerto Rico in 2009 by way of a 12th round TKO. Since his last victory against Cotto, Pacquiao fought 12 times, winning nine fights by decision and losing three in the span of 8 years. Roach, who is yet to constitute Pacquiao’s sparring partners in Manila, said Pacquiao is set to do bigger fights starting late this year. He thinks a KO win over Horn on July 2 would trigger more lucrative fights in the near future. “There are some big fights coming up for Manny in the near future,?? Roach said, “and Jeff Horn is just the kind of opponent Manny needs to prepare for those.” “We?re going for the knock out,” said Roach, who plans to spend the last 12 days of Pacquiao’s training in Brisbane. Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) is coming off a unanimous decision win over Jessie Vargas last Nov. 5 at the Thomas & Mack Center, Paradise, Nevada following his second UD win over Timothy Bradley in April 2016. Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs) is unbeaten in his pro career and is fresh off a TKO win over Ali Funeka last December at the New Zealand Vector Arena in Auckland. Pacquiao is set to meet with his promoter Bob Arum in Australia on April 24 to kick off a press tour in Australia to promote the upcoming fight.
