Should it be a first-round knockout or a 12-round decision?
No need to ask that question to Freddie Roach twice.
“I’d rather go for a one-round knockout,” the great American trainer said over the phone yesterday as he took his breakfast at Cebu’s Waterfront Hotel.
Roach, of course, was talking about Manny Pacquiao’s Oct. 6 rematch with Marco Antonio Barrera at the Mandalay Bay Resort in glorious Las Vegas.
He said Pacquiao, favored to duplicate his sensational knockout win over Barrera in San Antonio in 2003, should go for the knockout if and when the opportunity comes.
“We’ll take it one round at a time but if a knockout comes then it comes. I’d rather go for a one-round knockout,” said Roach, in Cebu for a week now training Pacquiao.
The former professional fighter and also the newest trainer of Oscar del Hoya said Pacquiao is the only one to have knocked out Barrera in all the 68 fights the 33-year-old Mexican has been to.
And there’s no question that it can be done – again.
Still, Roach said the 28-year-old Filipino superstar should expect the worst, and that could mean being dragged into 12 rounds of boxing where anything can happen.
“Manny is the only guy to have knocked Barrera out but we’re preparing for 12 hard rounds. But Manny should be ready to go 12 hard rounds,” said Roach.
Barrera, according to Roach, may have gone old at 33, but Pacquiao’s trainer believes that the former world champion still has the strength to “take the punches and win with his heart.”
“In those four years after their first fight, Pacquiao has become a much better fighter,” said Roach. “But Barrera is a durable fighter. I think he’s in great condition. He’s always a tough opponent.
Roach supervised Pacquiao’s training at the Rex “Wakee” Salud Gym yesterday, a sparring day. Two Mexican sparring partners, David Rodela and Raymundo Beltran, are already in town.
Pacquiao, according to Roach, was scheduled to hold four rounds against Beltran in the afternoon after going the same number against Rodela last Monday and Wednesday.
Roach had said he expects no less than 130 rounds of sparring for Pacquiao who flies to Los Angeles on Sept. 22 for the final two-week grind heading to the fight.
