LOS ANGELES, California — Trainer Freddie Roach’s only concern going into Saturday night’s brawl between Manny Pacquiao and Hector Velazquez is for the General Santos pride to take his Mexican rival lightly.
Roach declared that Monday after his prized fighter racked up his 95th and final round of sparring against Israel Vazquez of Mexico at the Wild Card Boxing Club, just five days before Pacquiao and Velazquez go at it at the Staples Center.
“I just hope that Manny does not take this guy for granted,” said Roach.
Roach has all the reasons to be alarmed because Velazquez, 30, has a terrific right hand and has excelled in ending fights by dropping his opponents with body shots.
Another scary fact about Velazquez, originally from the border town of Tijuana, is that he hasn’t been stopped in eight years.
Roach refuses to tell how and when Pacquiao would take out Velazquez but is optimistic that it’s not going to go the full route.
“Velazquez is hittable,” said Roach, who bared it was he himself who handpicked Velazquez to square off with the relentless Filipino.
Roach said Zahir Raheem was offered to him by the promotional group Top Rank, but he opted for Velazquez “because he comes straight at you.”
“Raheem runs a lot and I like to see Manny get it on with someone like Velazquez,” said Roach, who was also offered to look at Oscar Larios, the reigning WBC super-bantamweight titlist.
Raheem wound up as the opponent of Erik Morales in the co-main event.
Still, Roach believes Pacquiao has the power, speed and skills to repulse an ambitious bidder like Velazquez.
“Manny is in top shape even though he came in a bit late. What’s good about him is that he responds well to training and he adjusts easily,” said Roach.
What made Roach the more confident was the way Pacquiao took care of his sparmates the past week when only those with official business were allowed to stay at the Wild Card while Pacquiao is training.
“He just went through the motions during the last days of his sparring. There were just a few people inside and eventually, Manny loved the idea of training where he can breathe,” said Roach, who is being assisted by Australian conditioning coach Justin Fortune.
Fortune said “Pacquiao is right there” and has what it takes to augment his status as one of the sport’s top attractions.
Pacquiao, 26, sports a 39-3-2 win-loss-draw card with 30 knockouts, while Velazquez, 30, holds a 41-10-2 slate with 31 knockouts.
