DAVAO CITY ? Freddie Roach yesterday said Manny Pacquiao will be in tip-top form when he slugs it out with Fahsan 3K Battery on Dec. 11 but the noted American trainer refused to predict an early ending to the keenly-awaited fight at The Fort in Taguig.
In fact, the bespectacled Roach said he expects the fight to go the distance although he added that Pacquiao looks great and will be in excellent condition come fight night.
“I expect Manny to go the distance in the fight,” Roach, widely credited for transforming Pacquiao into a mean fighting machine, told The STAR in an interview yesterday afternoon at Pacquiao?s residence at El Rio Subdivision here.
“But a knock-out would be a bonus,” added Roach, stressing that his ward is now very much prepared for a longer fight if necessary.
Pacquaio himself said he is ready to meet his Thai opponent whom he already had a chance of fighting two years ago in a match in Guam.
“Handa ako (I am ready),” Pacquaio said.
This developed as Rod Nazario, long-time business manager of Pacquiao, yesterday said the Filipino boxing sensation may indeed be better off gearing up and training in Davao where there are mountainous terrains to jog on.
Pacquiao is entering his third week of training in Davao.
Roach, who has trained some of the biggest names in boxing, was reportedly unimpressed with the training facilities in Davao and said he intends to bring Pacquiao to Manila as soon as possible.
But Nazario said it?s Pacquiao?s own wish to train in Davao and move to Manila only in the final days leading to the match where he has a guaranteed purse of $300,000 (P17 million) against the Thai?s $25,000 (P1.4 million).
“Alam mo, katawan kasi niya yan eh. Ang sinasabi kasi niya sa akin, may mga bundok kasi sa Davao and when he runs, he likes to run in the mountains,” Nazario told The STAR.
Nazario said running in the mountains has given Pacquiao the extra strength and resistance as shown last May in Las Vegas when he stood toe-to-toe with Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in a classic 12-round split draw.
