LAS VEGAS ? Do a Sugar Ray. But stay away from the ropes.
Freddie Roach asked Manny Pacquiao to bear this in mind Thursday, saying he could land in trouble if he stays on the ropes in his scheduled 12-rounder against Marco Antonio Barrera.
?It?s not where I want him to be. Obviously he sometimes chooses to go there just to test the guy. He did it with Erik Morales and Oscar Larios. It?s a bad place to be,? Roach said with concern.
?But we?ve worked on that. If he gets caught there, I told him not to get up so high. He stays high and he takes a shot. If you stay in the ropes, stay low and counter-punch out,? he added.
?It can be used effectively but I?d rather have him never go there.?
Pacquiao, the trainer added, said he liked the style of Sugar Ray Leonard, the five-time world champion who graced Wednesday?s press conference, and threw praises at the Pinoy superstar. ?He said he liked Sugar Ray Leonard. I told him you can box that way if you want to. Show me,? said Roach.
Notes: The betting propositions are all out for Saturday?s big fight. And while there?s the normal fluctuations, the fact remains that Manny Pacquiao is the overwhelming favorite against Marco Antonio Barrera. Pacquiao is ?340 (a bet of $340 only wins $100) against Barrera who?s at +220 (a bet of $100 wins $220). The fight going the distance is at +155 and that it won?t go is at -175. A Pacquiao win by knockout, at even, is the most attractive bet. There are many other ways to put your money into the fight with round by round odds on a Pacquiao or Barrera win via knockout, a Pacquiao or Barrera victory via decision or even a possible draw. The biggest odds go for Barrera knocking out Pacquiao in the first round: a dollar winning forty bucks. Big-time personalities from Manila are already in town, including a couple of high-rollers who have reportedly dropped millions into the bucket.
