TRAINER FREDDIE Roach dismissed rumors swirling around that Manny Pacquiao is going to intentionally lose the second clash with Marco Antonio Barrera on Oct. 6 in anticipation of a fatter paycheck in the mandatory third and rubber match.
“People tell me that Manny?s going to throw this fight to get through a third fight. There?s too much pride involved in this fight, man. It aint gonna happen,” Roach said in an interview as he made sure the Filipino puncher would be in tip-top shape come fight night at the 12,000-seat Events Center inside Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas .
There have been reports circulating on the Internet that Pacquiao would purposely lose to the Mexican as this would benefit co-promoters Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions who will now try to force an expected blockbuster third fight, a surefire guarantee of more revenue for all concerned.
An internet chitchat on mannypacquiao.ph said that Pacquiao would allow Barrera to win in the rematch so a lucrative third fight can be arranged.
This had come to the attention of Roach who told Manila reporters: “No third fight.”
Some members of Pacland ? the other name of the website ? began posting that given the cash windfall to be generated by a third fight, Pacquiao would opt to drop the match.
While Pacquiao has improved since the first time they fought in Texas in Nov. 2003, Barrera?s skills have deteriorated and it was evident in his last few fights most especially in the first fight with rugged slugger Rocky Juarez.
“We are much better than we were in the first fight and I think he?s (Barrera) gone the other way,” said Roach, who will supervise the final phase of Pacquiao?s training beginning Monday (Tuesday in Manila) at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California.
But, then again, Roach is not about to lower his guard with 12 days remaining before the fight.
“He?s (Barrera) not as sharp as he once was but that?s not to say he can?t pull it off though because the thing is, he might have one more good fight (left),” added Roach.
Barrera has been training exclusively in his adopted hometown of Guadalajara with the help of Japanese and Mexican sparring partners.
