Barely a couple of hours after guiding Manny Pacquiao past Fahsan 3K Battery late Saturday evening, Freddie Roach talked about and looked forward to his prot?g? beating Juan Manuel Marquez.
But for the Filipino champion to do that, the American trainer said there?ll be a lot of hard work to be done and a lot of sacrifices to be made leading to the awaited Feb. 26 rematch with the Mexican champion.
Roach, who came into the country three weeks ago, flies back to the US today to attend to his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood where he?ll be expecting Pacquiao to show up for training by the first week of January.
When Pacquiao sees him off at airport, there?ll be a short list of do?s and don?t?s Roach would hand over to the flamboyant fighter.
“I?d like him to stay in the gym because he?s just so focused when he?s in gym. When he?s outside that?s when the distractions come in,” said Roach, probably referring to Pacquiao?s nasty habit of staying out late playing billiards.
“I?d like him to be in the gym and stay away from any bad habits he?s acquired. I also like him to be on the road at least three days a week. But I?d like him to get a little time out, too, before we start training for Marquez. It?s Christmas time you know.”
Pacquiao needed only four rounds to stop Fahsan, the Thai featherweight, before a huge crowd at The Fort in Taguig the other night but will need to show a lot more agility and strength if he wants to beat Marquez.
The durable Mexican fighter, the holder of the WBA and IBF featherweight titles, drew his match with Pacquiao in Las Vegas last May. The WBC crown is with another Mexican, Marco Antonio Barrera, whom Pacquiao stopped in 11 rounds in Texas in November last year.
“Manny needs to stay in shape. He?s got to stay sharp. So when we start training for Marquez we don?t have to start from scratch. We have eight weeks for that and I want a good day when we start,” said Roach.
“If only I could get him the day after Christmas I?d be happy. But I?d settle for something close to that. It?s going to be a hard fight and we have to make a lot of adjustments. Manny has to fight a better fight,” he added.
While Pacquiao was pounding Fahsan with right hooks and left uppercuts, Marquez was probably in the middle of another training day in Mexico.
“I?m sure Marquez will be ready just the same. And the thing is Marquez will be ready to fight. Manny will be the stalker. I heard Marquez is now up in the mountains training at least 10,000 feet above sea level.
“But I?m sure he?ll take a break, too, for Christmas,” said Roach who?s also expecting Pacquiao to celebrate the holidays with family and friends in Gen. Santos, his birthplace in Mindanao.
“I don?t have any control over him when I?m not with him,” he said. “But he?s a big boy and he knows what?s good for him. He has to stay in shape and he knows that. Because by the time he comes over the US, we?ll have only eight weeks to train.”
In their May encounter, Pacquiao floored Marquez three times right in the opening round. But the Mexican slugger refused to roll over and die, coming back strong in the remaining rounds to salvage a draw.
Many thought Pacquiao won that bout. Roach is just one of them.
“Yes, Marquez came back to fight. But for me, it wasn?t enough to win it or even draw it. A lot of referees would have stopped that fight. We have to bring those first-round memories back on Marquez one more time. Manny will make him remember all pain and hopefully finish him off this time,” said Roach.
Had that fight been held somewhere else where the three-knockdown rule is in effect, Pacquiao would have been the title holder by this time.
“The three-knockdown rule? It depends on where you?re fighting. In Nevada or in Las Vegas it?s not in effect but in New York I think it is,” he said.
The rematch, where Pacquiao stands to receive $900,000 or P50.4 million (a purse no other Filipino athlete has ever won before), will be held either in Las Vegas or Nevada. Again the three-knockdown rule (disqualifying a fighter who gets knocked down thrice in a single round) won?t be in effect.
“Well, hopefully it won?t be a factor and we won?t be needing it. Maybe we can bring him down four times this time and that?ll be it,” Roach added with a wink.
Notes: For high-profile government officials, sportsmen and other types of celebrities, The Fort in Taguig was the place to be seen last Saturday. They were everywhere ? from the Vice President of the country to the Speaker of the House, a number of senators, city mayors, congressmen, a governor, military and police generals, famous athletes, movie stars and even retired public officials. Some of them were introduced to the crowd by the ring announcer as they took their seats and, too bad, too pathetic for a couple of times, while a fight was going on on top of the ring. It?s just a no-no in boxing. “Hoy! Nag-mimisa sa itaas ang ingay-ingay mo! shouted Recah Trinidad, the hard-hitting boxing columnist as the ring announcer announced the arrival of Rep. Mikey Arroyo while early action was going on in the ring. As a consequence, the Presidential son was loudly booed by the crowd?. After weighing in at 125 lbs (a pound off the limit) Friday morning, Manny Pacquiao climbed the ring the following day at 133 lbs or eight pounds gained in a day. That?s the way it goes in boxing. Fahsan weighed probably even heavier than that as observed shortly before the opening bell. Pacquiao looked fiery ? first in his white robe, then in his flaming black, red and orange trunks and white shoes.
He also wore a fresh, day-old tattoo on his left arm ? that with the logo of Red Bull, the energy drink which Pacquiao just can?t live without during training.
