LOS ANGELES — Manny Pacquiao is wary of only two things: Marco Antonio Barrera’s uppercut and hook.
Trainer Freddie Roach is not as concerned as his Filipino disciple.
But Roach said Pacquiao is ready for whatever Barrera brings to the ring next Saturday in Las Vegas, including the possibility that the Mexican may resort to using dirty tactics to secure a must-win bout for him.
“I am watching out for Barrera’s uppercut and (left) hook,” said Pacquiao as he was affixing his signature to fight memorabilia that was handed to him by his fans and supporters after Thursday’s training session at the Wild Card.
“I think Manny’s a better fighter now than he was for the first fight and I think he’s much stronger and a better puncher at this weight,” said Roach during the workout that was open to the media—and even Pacman fans who came in droves.
“If Barrera fights dirty, we will also be ready for that,” said Roach, who expressed satisfaction over Pacquiao’s intense sparring session with David Rodela.
“We are going to force Barrera to fight our own fight and prevent him from dictating the tempo,” Roach said.
Barrera is such a huge underdog going into the scheduled 12-rounder that Roach believes he will do everything to pull off an upset.
The bout will be held at the Events Center inside Mandalay Bay before an expected sellout crowd of 12,000.
“Whatever Barrera decides to do, if he decides to fight us, I don’t think he can outfight us, and I don’t think he can outbox us, either,” Roach said.
Barrera’s hook and uppercut are his premium weapons in amassing 63 victories in almost 70 fights, a great number of them against topnotch opponents such as Erik Morales (twice), Nassem Hamed, Johnny Tapia, Paulie Ayala, Kevin Kelley, Rocky Juarez, Kennedy McKinney, Agapito Sanchez and Ilocos-born Hawaiian Jesus Salud.
Despite Pacquiao’s continued rise to the top, and Barrera’s highly-visible decline, the Filipino boxer begged off from making a prediction.
“I just don’t want to make a prediction right now,” Pacquiao said, “but I am physically, mentally and spiritually prepared for this fight.”
When asked about the verbal war involving Roach and Barrera on the issue of handwrapping, Pacquiao said it would be much better to prove everything on the ring.
“It’s OK with me that we lose in the word war as long as we win the battle on top of the ring,” added Pacquiao, who has 44-3-2 card with 35 knockouts.
