HALL-OF-Fame trainer Freddie Roach is so confident of a Manny Pacquiao win this October that he is actually willing to welcome Marco Antonio Barrera to watch their training anytime the Mexican wishes to do so.
This was Roach?s answer to insinuations that he sent some spies inside the Mexican?s training camp.
In an interview with BusinessMirror, Roach said they are not anticipating any new moves Barrera might employ in the upcoming rematch between his ward Pacquiao and the Mexican icon early next month.
?I don?t have any spies. Actually if Barrera wants to watch us train that won?t be a problem,? said Roach. ?We really had a great training camp and we?re ready to fight right now.?
Pacquiao and Barrera will clash for a second time on October 6 at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their initial encounter happened November 2003 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, where Pacquiao gained superstardom status as he dominated Barrera in 11 rounds.
?Barrera has to worry about Manny?s right hand now because Manny?s a much more complete fighter now than he was the first time,? said Roach. ?That right hand of Manny is coming. It?s not quite perfect yet but as he gets confident in using it during the fight he?ll use it more and more.?
The whole of Saturday, Pacquiao had a hectic schedule pertaining to both his training and activities as a celebrity.
Saturday morning at The Fort, Pacquiao graced the press conference announcing the tie-up between giant Philippine TV station GMA 7 and sports cable network Solar Sports that will air the Pacquiao-Barrera return bout.
After that, Pacquiao went to the nearby Nike Philippines office to get some items he will use for his training in the United States. He also unveiled to the public Nike?s new Pacquiao logo as the Filipino superstar is one of their current endorsers.
From there, Pacquiao and Roach had a three-hour training session at the Wild Card Gym in Para?aque before the Filipino boxer appeared in a showbiz-oriented show on GMA 7.
Before leaving for the US late Saturday night, Pacquiao and his team had dinner with former Manila Mayor and now Environment Secretary Lito Atienza.
Roach said Pacquiao will taper off his training starting tomorrow at the Wild Card Gym before they motor off to Las Vegas this coming weekend.
?Obviously he?s my favorite partner. A lot has been said about our choice of Cebu as our training camp and so forth. Just give me a gym and a fighter and that will be fine,? said Roach. ?He is just so excited for this bout and I can?t see any way how Manny will lose this fight.?
Pacquiao and Roach spent a little over a month training in Cebu and was joined by sparring partners Mexican-American David Rodela, Raymundo ?Sugar? Beltran of Mexico and Filipinos Arnel Tinampay and Aaron Melgarejo.
?Manny is just too awesome. I?ve been his sparring partner since the Morales rematch and he continues to get better, said Rodela. ?I just can?t get used to his punches. His improvement is tremendous.?
?We?re pretty much maintaining right now. We?re happy where we are right now,? said Roach.
Pacquiao arrived in Los Angeles yesterday and was greeted by a throng of well-wishers and will be staying at his posh Palazzo East apartment at Park La Brea.
