As of yesterday, Las Vegas oddsmakers tabbed Pacquiao a 6-to-5 pick over Morales, while in Toprank.com poll, 60 percent favored the General Santos City-native bomber to defeat the Mexican when the two fighters clash in a must-see March 19 Pay-Per-View at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Pacquiao, the Ring Magazine and People?s featherweight champion, is set to wind up his rigorous training regimen on Monday and will then head towards Las Vegas for the mega-fight that is expected to shatter boxing box-office hits.
On the other hand, American trainer Freddie Roach of the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California declared that Pacquiao is extremely fit and ready to trade bombs with Morales, even as he also divulge some strategies they will employ against the Mexican hotshot.
?We are going to set a fast pace,? said Roach. ?Make this guy work hard for every minute of every round. Make him show his age,? added Roach, who earlier bragged to have developed a secret weapon that can reduce Morales into shreds once Pacquiao unleashes on the fight night.
Given the extensiveness of the training they underwent, Roach is confident that Pacquiao will still be as lethal and can box with Morales in the later rounds.
?Definitely. That?s what we are planning on doing. Use the side-to-side movement,? said Roach. ?He (Morales) likes to exchange. Anyone who wants to punch with Manny, I?m very happy about,? added the 2003 Trainer of the Year awardee in implying Pacquiao?s preparedness to slug it out with Morales toe-to-toe.
Meanwhile, RPN 9 with telecast the second part of its two-hour special on the Pacquiao-Morales bout this Sunday from 1 pm to 3 pm.
