At lightweight, Manny Pacquiao is going to be deadlier, the Filipino?s cornerman Freddie Roach said yesterday.
“I think he will even be stronger (at 135 lbs),” Roach told the Filipino press when asked if he expects Pacquiao to lose a bit of his speed and power when he collides with David Diaz on June 28 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
“(Lightweight) will be better for him,” said Roach, citing the difficulty of Pacquiao getting down to 130 lbs (super-feather) in his last few fights.
“Manny is very, very focused and doing great,” said Roach after watching Pacquiao work out without letup at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood.
With exactly three weeks before he gets a stab at becoming the first Filipino to capture the world lightweight crown, Pacquiao has been showcasing the stuff that has made him one of the world?s most outstanding attractions.
“Once he starts training here, it?s all business. He has a terrific work ethic,” added Roach, who began working the corner of the 29-year-old southpaw in May 2001.
Since Pacquiao and Roach joined hands, they have not missed a single beat, except of course in March 2005 when Erik Morales proved them wrong, compelling Roach later to admit that they may have took the Mexican legend a bit lightly.
But in the next two matches, Pacquiao and Roach got back into their old ways as evidenced by Pacquiao?s knockout victories over Morales.
In the coming week, Pacquiao will make a brief appearance in San Diego to promote the fight dubbed “Lethal Combination” and an open workout is being planned in Los Angeles.
Diaz will also hold one in his hometown of Chicago before he leaves.
On June 23, Pacquiao and Diaz will host a press conference in Los Angeles before they proceed to Las Vegas.
Top Rank is staging the slambang show at the 12,000-seat Events Center and those who won?t be able to get to Sin City can catch the action on pay-per-view at $ 49.95 a pop.
