Freddie Roach says he feels sorry for Oscar.
Manny Pacquiao says he will not fire a punch in anger, even when his opponent is superstar Oscar De La Hoya.
“I look at boxing as a competition, like other sports – basketball, for example,” said Pacquiao. “I respect all of my opponents. I think Oscar is a great fighter who has defeated many champions.” Pacquiao said he doesn’t get totally worked up mentally until fight night when he leaves the locker room, takes the long walk to the ring and thinks about all of the fight fans in The Phillipines. “Defeating Oscar De La Hoya – the Golden Boy – will mean so much for my country,” he said.
Pacquiao is scheduled to have a media day workout next Monday.
Chief trainer Freddie Roach says it wasn’t his fault Oscar De La Hoya lost to Floyd Mayweather Jr. Roach said he put together a solid strategy for that fight. “Oscar did everything we planned for about six rounds. Then he stopped doing it. Is that my fault? I don’t think so, but I sure took the heat for it,” said Roach. “In a way, I feel sorry for Oscar – sorry for the way he treated me and other trainers who have worked for him. Oscar never loses a fight. It’s always the trainers who lose it. There’s a message there somewhere and it’s not good.”
De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao ‘The Dream Match’ is scheduled for Dec 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao will be available on HBO Pay Per View. HBO’s Emmy-Award-winning all-access franchise “24/7” returns with Oscar De La Hoya and Manny Pacquiao in starring roles. The four-episode series “De La Hoya/Pacquiao 24/7″premieres Sunday, Nov. 16th at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on HBO.
