Trainer Freddie Roach has hailed Manny Pacquiao “as close to a complete fighter as he has ever been” ahead of his huge showdown with Oscar De La Hoya.
His man goes into the 12-round welterweight bout on December 6 as a firm underdog with the bookmakers but Roach insists he is heading for victory.
“I have never seen Manny look better. He is as close to a complete fighter as he has ever been. His speed, footwork and stamina are supreme. But it’s his power that has surpassed anything I could have hoped for,” he said.
“Manny is ready to fight a full three minutes of every round for as many rounds this fight goes. Oscar may look the part of a welterweight fighter by dieting down to a Twiggy 145 pounds, but that doesn’t mean he can pull the trigger at his age and act the part of a welterweight fighter.
“Not against a Manny Pacquiao. Oscar will be carrying a suitcase full of blues when he enters his golden years of retirement as a fighter on December 6. But at least he’ll look fit and trim in his designer business suits.”
De La Hoya claimed recently the prospect of meeting Pacquiao excited him – but Roach had a further warning for the man he trained for the recent defeat to Floyd Mayweather Jr.
“Oscar stated in his media conference call that training to fight Manny has put the fire back in his belly. If he thinks he has a fire in his belly now, wait until Manny starts landing right and left hooks there. Oscar’s belly will be a raging inferno,” he said.
